As hospitals across the country scale back gender-affirming services for minors, Boston Children’s Hospital is taking the opposite approach: doubling down on its commitment to trans youth.
The move stands in stark contrast to several major providers that have rolled back care in the wake of political threats and recent court rulings. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and Stanford Medicine are among the institutions that have announced restrictions in recent weeks.
A Statement of Defiance
Earlier this month, Boston Children’s Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program published a public statement rejecting calls to halt care.
“Boston Children’s Hospital has always been and always will be committed to providing the best care for ALL of our patients, regardless of their gender identity,” the statement read. “We believe in a gender-affirmative model of care, which supports transgender and gender diverse youth in the gender in which they identify.”
The hospital noted GeMS was the nation’s first pediatric and adolescent trans health program and reaffirmed that its practices are backed by medical evidence.
Pushback and Threats
Right-wing commentators quickly targeted the hospital. Chaya Raichik, who runs Libs of TikTok, called for it to be “defunded and investigated.” Former college swimmer Riley Gaines also condemned the institution, repeating long-debunked claims about trans healthcare for minors.
This isn’t the first time Boston Children’s has been caught in a political firestorm. In 2022, the hospital endured bomb threats after false claims spread online suggesting doctors performed hysterectomies on minors. The program has never offered such procedures to patients under 18. At the time, staff faced harassment so severe the hospital hired extra security.
A Shifting Legal Landscape
The pressure on providers follows the Supreme Court’s Skrmetti ruling, which upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. That decision has emboldened policymakers and activists seeking to expand restrictions nationwide. Hospitals now face not only state-level bans but also the threat of losing federal funding under executive orders targeting facilities that provide such care.
Despite this, Boston Children’s shows no signs of retreating. The hospital says it stands with its patients, families, and trans staff and backs federal protections like the Equality Act.
Holding the Line
While many institutions weigh political risks against patient care, Boston Children’s is signaling that it won’t abandon trans youth. The hospital has framed its decision as both a medical obligation and a moral one, describing gender-affirming care as essential for young people to “live, grow and thrive with love and support.”
For families facing dwindling options nationwide, that commitment offers a rare sense of security at a time when trans health care remains under attack.
