Trump signs executive order restricting gender-based health care for youth

Trump signs  executive order restricting  gender-based health care for  youth.

Reuters US President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and  pardons Reuters
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at restricting  gender-based care for people under  19.
In the order, Trump said federal support for such care would end. He  directed the  Secretary of Health and Human Services to  "take all appropriate  steps to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of  children."
The order said it  covered treatments including puberty blockers, hormones such as  estrogen or testosterone,  and even surgical  procedures.
It is likely to face legal  challenges. The order directs  federally administered insurance  programs to exclude gender transition  treatments for  minors from coverage. It also aims to  prevent medical  facilities that receive federal  funding from providing such  treatments.
More than 26  U.S. states have already implemented  gender-based restrictions on care for children and  youth.
Several U.S. medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and  the American Medical  Association, have argued that  such care is  necessary.
But the  scientific evidence for medical interventions in gender  transition care,  particularly for children, is  contested. Several European countries have commissioned  studies. Last year, a review of gender identity services for under-18s in England and Wales  found that children  were being left behind by a lack of research and  "extremely weak" evidence on medical interventions  for gender  care.
Transgender rights advocates  were quick to criticize the White  House's decision.
"Today's order  sets out a clear plan to  block access to  health care for transgender youth  across the country, removing the role of families and  placing politics between patients and their  doctors," said Chase Strangio of the American Civil Liberties  Project on LGBT and  HIV.
But conservative groups applauded the order. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, called it  a "refreshing return to  reason." According to a study by the UCLA Williams Institute, less than 1% of the population over the age of 13 in the  United States is transgender, and the number  of people seeking medical care is  even lower.
Earlier this week, Trump signed an  executive order  directing defense officials to  review the  military's policy on transgender troops. That  decision has already been challenged in  court.
The executive orders  fulfill a campaign  promise Trump  made to his supporters to  repeal transgender policies put in place by the Biden administration.

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