Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Seeking to End Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s recent executive order seeking to end access to gender affirming care for transgender youth:                                     

"The President’s attempt to prevent transgender youth from accessing medically necessary healthcare is cruel and irresponsible. Denying this care would only serve to further marginalize and endanger already vulnerable youth and put their health and well-being at risk.

"All Americans have the inalienable right to equal protection under the law, regardless of their gender identity. This includes the right to access healthcare free from discrimination. California will continue to be a safe haven for those who seek the care they need in order to be their authentic selves. 

"In California, we seek to promote access to healthcare, not restrict it. California families seeking gender affirming care, and the doctors and staff who provide it, are protected under state laws like the Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) Inclusive Care Act. The President’s order does not change that. My office and I will continue to defend California law and stand up for the rights of all who seek this critical, lifesaving care and the people who support them.

"We are reviewing the President’s executive order and monitoring its implementation. Rest assured, the California Department of Justice will continue to stand up for our people and our values."

RESOURCES

California has a number of resources for transgender youth and the broader LGBTQ+ community: 

• California Department of Justice’s Health Equity and Civil Rights webpage
• California Department of Justice’s LGBTQ+ Discrimination Rights webpage
• Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) Inclusive Care Act
• California Department of Health Care Services’ Medi-Cal State Inmate Program and Medi-Cal County Inmate Program webpage
• California Civil Rights Department’s The Rights of Employees Who Are Transgender or Gender Nonconforming fact sheet
• California Department of Insurance’s Equal Access to Health Insurance: Coverage for Transgender Californians webpage
• California Department of Managed Health Care’s TGI Care webpage

If you believe your rights are being violated as part of the enforcement of the President’s executive order, you can file a complaint with the California Attorney General’s Office here or with the California Civil Rights Department here.