US Hospitals Halt Gender-Affirming Care for Minors, Puerto Rico Criminalizes Under-21 Treatments

Several prominent hospitals across the United States, including Rush Medical Center in Chicago, have halted gender-affirming treatments for minors following President Donald Trump's 2025 executive order banning such care for individuals under 19. The order, titled "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation," prohibits puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries for youth and directs rigorous enforcement against these practices. In Puerto Rico, Republican Governor Jenniffer González-Colón signed into law Senate Bill 350, which bans gender-affirming medical care for transgender people under 21, imposing severe penalties on medical providers, including up to 15 years in prison, fines, and license revocation. The law has drawn widespread criticism from medical associations, LGBTQ+ advocates, and organizations like GLAAD, who argue it endangers transgender youth and criminalizes health professionals. Despite calls for vetoes and amendments, Puerto Rican lawmakers did not modify the bill, which follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld a similar Tennessee ban. Advocates warn that the restrictions place trans youth at risk and create significant barriers to care, particularly in Puerto Rico where alternative access to gender-affirming treatment is limited.