President Trump’s executive order targeting transgender care has forced Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to shut down its gender clinic, dealing a significant blow to the progressive medical establishment that has been offering irreversible procedures to minors.
Key Takeaways
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will close its Center for Transyouth Health and Development on July 22, 2025, following President Trump’s executive order restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for those under 19.
- The hospital relies heavily on federal funding, with nearly two-thirds of its budget coming from government sources, making it financially impossible to continue operations under the new restrictions.
- A high-profile lawsuit from a former patient alleging she was rushed into irreversible procedures as a minor has brought additional scrutiny to the center’s practices.
- Studies show over 80% of children with gender dysphoria naturally outgrow the condition by late adolescence, raising serious ethical questions about permanent medical interventions.
- The closure represents a significant policy victory for advocates concerned about protecting children from potentially harmful medical procedures.
Trump Policy Forces Major Gender Clinic Closure
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has announced the closure of its Center for Transyouth Health and Development, effective July 22, 2025. This significant development comes as a direct result of President Trump’s executive action restricting federal financial support for gender transition procedures for minors under 19 years old. The hospital, which has been one of the few facilities in the nation providing comprehensive gender-affirming care to youth, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures, cited “significant operational, legal, and financial risks” stemming from changing policies at both state and federal levels as the primary reason for shutting down operations.
The hospital’s executives acknowledged the difficult nature of this decision in an internal email, stating: “In the end, this painful and difficult decision was driven by the need to safeguard CHLA’s ability to operate amid significant external pressures beyond our control,” according to hospital communications . The financial reality behind this decision is stark – CHLA depends on federal funding for approximately two-thirds of its budget and could only operate for about 50 days without this crucial support, making continued operation of the transgender center financially untenable under the new federal restrictions.
Here is the complete copy of the email that Children's Hospital Los Angeles leadership sent out explaining why thy were shutting down their pediatric gender clinic:
Dear CHLA Team Members,
We are writing to share an important and profoundly difficult update. CHLA has determined… https://t.co/NMzFCIQbVY— Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) June 13, 2025
Mounting Evidence and Legal Challenges
The closure comes amid increasing scientific scrutiny and legal challenges to pediatric gender transition. A high-profile lawsuit has been filed against the center’s director, Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, by a former patient who alleges she was rushed into irreversible transgender procedures as a minor without proper evaluation or consideration of alternatives. This case highlights the growing concerns about informed consent and the potential long-term consequences of medical interventions for gender-dysphoric youth, particularly when scientific evidence suggests most children will naturally reconcile with their biological sex if given time.
“Despite this deeply held commitment to supporting LA’s gender-diverse community, the hospital has been left with no viable path forward except to close the Center for Transyouth Health and Development, effective July 22, 2025,” stated Children’s Hospital Los Angeles .
Research indicates that over 80% of children experiencing gender dysphoria will outgrow these feelings by late adolescence if not subjected to social and medical interventions. This crucial fact has been largely overlooked by proponents of early intervention with puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, treatments that can lead to permanent infertility, sexual dysfunction, and other serious medical complications. The growing community of detransitioners – individuals who underwent gender transitions and later regretted their decision – provides compelling evidence of the potential harms of rushing children into life-altering medical procedures.
Following the Money
Financial incentives appear to have played a significant role in the rapid expansion of pediatric gender clinics across the country. In a 2022 exposé involving Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Shayne Sebold Taylor was recorded admitting that “these surgeries make a lot of money,” according to documents. This candid acknowledgment raises questions about whether financial motivations may have influenced medical decision-making in an area that should be guided solely by patient welfare and sound scientific evidence.
While California Attorney General Rob Bonta insisted that “California law has not changed, and hospitals and clinics have a legal obligation to provide equal access to healthcare services” the reality is that without federal funding, these services have become financially unsustainable. The hospital has indicated it will attempt to reassign affected employees to other departments based on available positions and funding, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of President Trump’s policy changes on institutions that have been heavily invested in gender transition procedures for minors.
The closure of this influential center represents a significant turning point in the national conversation about appropriate medical care for gender-dysphoric youth. It signals a return to the more cautious, evidence-based approach long advocated by medical professionals concerned about rushing children into irreversible medical procedures before they have the maturity to fully understand the lifelong consequences of such decisions.
