Denver Health Pauses Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

Denver Health announced this week that gender-affirming care for patients under the age of 19 will no longer be available starting in February. The hospital, which relies on federal funding for over half of its revenue, made the difficult decision in order to continue providing overall healthcare services in the Denver area, explains a letter addressed to the LGBTQ+ community.

Steve Federico, a spokesperson for Denver Health, described making the decision as “tough” in his statement. Federico explained that the hospital’s decision is a response to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, which requires compliance for all federal recipients. This order has compelled many institutions, including Denver Health, to alter their service offerings despite the essential nature of these services to trans youth.

The document, Executive Order 14168, is titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” This order not only terminates federal funding for gender-affirming care, it also legally enshrines a restrictive “male-female” binary. The order includes rules such as all government agencies must replace the term “gender” with “sex” in its official verbiage. The implications of this policy have sparked controversy in Denver and cities across the country, as it undermines the rights and health care needs of trans people.

The decision comes amid an executive order-signing binge President Trump went on in his first day in office. He signed over forty such directives into law in January alone. In response to the new funding restrictions, Colorado, the District of Columbia, and 21 other states have initiated lawsuits seeking to overturn the national funding freeze that is affecting numerous government programs nationwide.

While Denver Health will continue to offer gender-affirming care for adults aged 19 and over, the suspension of hormone therapy and surgeries for trans youth marks a significant setback for the queer community. Despite these challenges posed by federal policies aimed at curtailing transgender rights, we must determined to stand up for the rights of trans people and support comprehensive, affirming healthcare for all.