Advocates Across Pennsylvania United in Ensuring Gender Affirming Care Continues in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, Pa. — This morning the US Supreme Court issued its decision in the US v. Skrmetti case to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming medical care for minors. While today’s ruling is a serious disappointment, advocates urge supporters to know that legal efforts to challenge these restrictive state laws will continue on other grounds. While the court’s decision may complicate efforts to overturn similar laws in 27 other states — the legal work to ensure healthcare access for trans people in America will continue.
As PA does not currently have a law banning gender affirming care for minors, the Skrmetti decision has no direct legal impact on young trans Pennsylvanians. This decision, however, may have a chilling effect on certain providers. Voluntary decisions of discrimination by UPMC, Penn State Health, and Penn Medicine in pre-compliance with unconstitutional Executive Orders are making local care less accessible to many Pennsylvanians right now.
Young people should be free to live their lives authentically and safely, and trans youth are no exception.
The Pennsylvania Youth Congress remains in steadfast solidarity with trans young Pennsylvanians and their families in fighting for a better world where discrimination and denial of medically-necessary healthcare no longer exist. This afternoon, the Pennsylvania Youth Congress assembled an emergency meeting of the Pennsylvania Coalition of LGBTQ+ Organizations, a network of over 60 LGBTQ+ community organizations throughout Pennsylvania that PYC facilitates, and this evening hosted a meeting for Parent Warriors, a network of hundreds of parents of trans and gender expansive children in PA.
Preston Heldibridle, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, shared the following message directed to trans young people in Pennsylvania: “You are loved. Your life is absolutely worth living. We are here for you, as are so many wonderful people you may know and have yet to meet. Together we will succeed in the fight to keep Pennsylvania a commonwealth which provides access to gender affirming care. Thank you for remaining strong through these challenging times. They want to erase us — in our schools, the military, and through denying us healthcare. No court has the power to redefine our dignity as human beings. That has never worked before. We are not going anywhere — not today, not ever.”
The Pennsylvania Coalition of LGBTQ+ Organizations is urging allies to take positive action for LGBTQ+ health care through contacting Governor Josh Shapiro by visiting action.pavalues.org/pride. Several thousand Pennsylvanians have already sent him this message urging action on LGBTQ+ healthcare, which is under full attack by the federal government.
UPMC and Penn State Health have recently announced that all existing patients who are minors will be denied gender affirming medical care starting this summer — an escalation of their announcement earlier in the spring to no longer accept new patients and deny care to some existing patients. The Pennsylvania Youth Congress urges all LGBTQ+ organizations and allies that are able to no longer accept donations from UPMC and Penn State Health while they continue to deny vital healthcare to trans young people — and thanks Pittsburgh Pride, Lebo Pride, and others for denying sponsorships from UPMC already this year.
Bans on healthcare threaten vulnerable people’s wellbeing, the safety of our communities, and the ability of every family to determine what is best for them. Parents, families, and medical professionals should be trusted, respected, and have privacy as they make healthcare decisions — free from political interference and disinformation. Gender affirming care for transgender young people is backed as essential treatment for those who need it by every major medical, pediatric, and psychological association in the United States.
There has been legislation introduced or pending introduction in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to both ban (SB 843) and protect gender affirming care for minors in the commonwealth. No movement on any of these bills has currently been scheduled either in the House or Senate.
Finally, the Pennsylvania Youth Congress encourages trans youth and their families who are experiencing healthcare discrimination in PA with any denial of gender affirming healthcare from UPMC, Penn State Health, Penn Medicine, or other providers in PA, to contact them for a referral to legal resources to consider litigation. Please contact the Pennsylvania Youth Congress at info@payouthcongress.org.
Trans and LGBTQ+ organizations across Pennsylvania will continue to work together to save and protect the lives of young trans Pennsylvanians. The Pennsylvania Youth Congress will continue to work closely with groups including the Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, TransYOUniting, and members of the Pennsylvania Coalition of LGBTQ+ Organizations in this work. More information on additional actions and ways to support gender affirming care in Pennsylvania will be promoted in the coming weeks ahead.
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