Por: Julia Martínez
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans gender reassignment procedures for minors under 19. The measure includes treatments such as puberty blockers, hormonal therapies, and gender reassignment surgeries. The White House emphasized that this policy aims to stop the funding, promotion, and support of these procedures for minors, labeling them as «destructive» and life-altering.
Criticism of Gender Transition Treatments
The executive order argues that gender reassignment procedures are dangerous, especially for children, who are described as «influencable.» According to the document, doctors performing these procedures are contributing to a dangerous trend that could become «a stain on the nation’s history.» Furthermore, the White House criticizes the policies of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) for lacking «scientific integrity» and orders the revocation of any policies based on its guidelines.
Trump celebrated the measure on his Truth Social platform, stating that the U.S. will no longer support the so-called “gender-affirming care” and that these treatments have «ruined too many precious lives.»
Impact on Health System and Armed Forces
The order affects various institutions. Federal agencies will be required to cease any practices related to gender reassignment for minors. Health insurance plans for federal employees will stop covering gender reassignment surgeries and hormone treatments for minors starting in 2026. In addition, the Department of Defense will adjust its TRICARE program to prevent funding for these procedures for minors.
Regarding health coverage, the decree includes a report to be published within the next 90 days, under the supervision of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated as Secretary of Health. This report will review scientific literature on best practices for treating gender dysphoria in minors, particularly in cases of rapid-onset gender dysphoria.
Context and Social Response
This measure comes at a time when more than 300,000 minors between the ages of 13 and 17 in the U.S. identify as transgender. However, more than one-third of them live in states that have already banned these medical procedures, reinforcing the idea that there is growing resistance to gender transition treatments for minors across the country.
When he took office, Trump had already made his position on gender clear, declaring that the U.S. only recognizes two genders defined at birth: male and female. His recent executive order marks another step in his opposition to current gender policies, which have deeply divided public opinion.
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