United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to halt the funding and promotion of gender transitions for LGBTQ youth.
In his order signed on Tuesday, Trump said the federal government would no longer “fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support” gender transitions – also referred to as gender-affirming care – for those aged below 19.
Under the order, the Department of Health and Human Services must take “all appropriate actions” to halt gender-affirming care under Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and publish a review of best practices for promoting the health of youth with gender dysphoria and “other identity-based confusion” within 90 days.
Trump’s order also directs agencies to end their reliance on guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which it accused of peddling “junk science”.
WPATH did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Al Jazeera.
“Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding,” the order says.
“Moreover, these vulnerable youths’ medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilisation.”
Trump’s order covers a range of treatments and procedures for young people suffering from gender dysphoria – which describes the distress felt by people whose biological sex does not match their gender identity – including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormone therapy and surgery.
The medical treatment of transgender youth has been a controversial and politically divisive issue in the US, where those calling for greater inclusion of LGBTQ youth have clashed with those expressing concern that minors are not mature enough to make decisions about potentially life-altering procedures.
The number of young people diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the US has surged severalfold in recent years, though only a relatively small minority of those have undergone medical interventions, according to various analyses.
