New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) has warned hospitals in her state that they must continue providing so-called “gender affirming care” to minors, despite an executive order from President Donald Trump, or risk possible repercussions for engaging in “discrimination.”
On January 28, Trump issued an executive order prohibiting federal funding for medical facilities that supposedly help a child 18 years old or younger “‘transition’ … from one sex to another.” The order described such procedures as “chemical and surgical mutilation” and noted they often result in permanent reproductive damage.
“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. 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, sterilization,” the executive order explained.
‘[The EO is] already having its intended effect — preventing children from being maimed and sterilized by adults.’
Despite Trump’s order, James apparently wants to continue propagating what the order called the “radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex.” In a letter issued Monday, James claimed that New York medical clinics that offer so-called “gender affirming care to minors” must continue doing so, with or without federal funding, to remain in compliance with state discrimination laws.
“Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we write to further remind you of your obligations to comply with New York State laws, including those that prohibit discrimination against individuals based on their membership in a protected class, such as sex [and] gender identity or expression,” James wrote.
“Electing to refuse services to a class of individuals based on their protected status, such as withholding the availability of services from transgender individuals based on their gender identity or their diagnosis of gender dysphoria, while offering such services to cisgender individuals, is discrimination under New York law,” the letter continued.
In closing the letter, James invited anyone who has “witness[ed]” a potential violation of her order to contact her office.
In apparent response to James’ letter, a spokesperson for the Greater New York Hospital Association indicated only that members were attempting to better understand the long-term “implications” of Trump’s EO. “We are collaboratively working through every aspect of the EO to determine its legal and clinical implications. That work is ongoing,” Brian Conway said, according to the AP.
So far, it seems Trump is winning this legal tug-of-war. On Monday, the White House mentioned NYU Langone Health in New York City as one of several hospitals across the country — including in Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. — that have already begun to curtail or end gender-related treatment of minors in the wake of Trump’s EO.
NYU Langone has reportedly “abruptly” canceled at least two appointments for 12-year-old children seeking puberty blockers. The hospital did not respond to a request for comment from the New York Post.
“[The EO is] already having its intended effect — preventing children from being maimed and sterilized by adults perpetuating a radical, false claim that they can somehow change a child’s sex,” the White House said in a statement Monday.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
The post Letitia James wants NY hospitals to continue gender ‘mutilation’ of minors, despite Trump order appeared first on TheBlaze.
