Trans community pushes back as Kaiser pauses youth gender-affirming surgeries
The California transgender community is pushing back against Kaiser Permanente's announced pause on gender-affirming surgery for patients 18 and under.
The pillar in the health care community cited pressure from the federal government that's forcing their decision.
Tony Fernandez is a Kaiser Permanente patient who lives in Modesto and is now speaking out about the health care organization's announcement.
"It just feels like a slippery slope backwards into taking away health care that people like me need," Fernandez said.
Fernandez has relied on Kaiser for his health care all his life.
"I'm transmasculine," Fernandez said. "That was life-saving care for me. I had identified as trans since I was probably 8 or 9 and didn't come out until I was maybe 12."
Kaiser Permanente cited President Trump's Justice Department issuing subpoenas to doctors and clinics providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth in their decision-making on the pause, adding, "We recognize that this is an extremely challenging and stressful time for our patients seeking care, as well as for our clinicians whose mission is to care for them."
Jorge Reyes Salinas is a spokesperson for Equality California, the largest LGBTQ advocate group in the state, and a sponsor of legislation creating protections for doctors and patients traveling to California for gender transition care.
"It is unfortunate that they are letting their patients down," Salinas said. "Denying equal access to care is illegal in California. And that's what's happening right now."
The California Family Council is a Christian-based organization that has lobbied against transgender protections.
"We're rejoicing, right," California Family Council vice-President Greg Burt said. "We think that we are created as two sex and that those two sex are determined by biology."
Kaiser says its new pause on youth trans surgery will begin August 29. There is no timeline for how long that will last.
"Just to feel right in your skin, and to have it taken away. It sucks," Fernandez said.
