YOUR STORY TO BE HEARD:
Trans Youth Health Testimonies!
We need your help ASAP reaching out to trans young people and their families about the importance of healthcare access.
A new federal rule is set to go into effect on October 13th to end federal funding of gender affirming medical care for young people under 19 years old using CHIP or Medicaid.
On September 2, 2026, Governor Josh Shapiro joined a lawsuit filed by 22 states challenging this rule.
Should implementation of this rule come into effect, states are coming up with plans to cover the 50% share that will no longer come from the federal government. These are state-administered programs, which means the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services can cover these costs.
There is a drive to get powerful testimonies to Governor Shapiro’s office, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs, and the Department of Human Services about what gender affirming care has meant to young people and families who are currently or who have previously relied on CHIP or Medicaid — and request they cover the funding necessary to ensure continued healthcare for young trans Pennsylvanians.
This cruel action would be devastating to young trans Pennsylvanians under 19 years old who are on CHIP or Medicaid. Since July 2016, CHIP has included coverage for gender-related healthcare, including medically-necessary mental health services and hormones. If this rule is implemented and our state government is not able to help, it would cut off vulerable trans youth on CHIP and Medicaid from vital healthcare. That is unconscionable.
Content warning for anti-trans rhetoric: The text of the rule is available from the US Department of Health and Human Services here.
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!
It is highly urgent that we QUICKLY gather short testimonies of trans youth (or from family members) on why trans-related healthcare access is important. You do not need to be on CHIP or Medicaid to share your story.
Please share this form far and wide so that we can hear from those impacted by trans healthcare as soon as possible. Testimonies may be edited for length or clarity when communicated with government officials.
You are welcome to share your experience coming and being out in your part of PA, but particularly we welcome reflections on the importance of healthcare access in your life – including mental health services/counseling and hormone replacement therapy. Examples of short testimonies are posted below the form.
We will not share your name unless you later give us permission to do so. We may follow up with you when you complete the form if you if you indicate you would like to remain in contact.
If you would like to write to Governor Shapiro’s office, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs, or the Department of Human Services, the Eastern PA Trans Equity Project has that information here. Please know that writing these offices directly may mean that your communications could be considered public documents and eventually shared online. To protect your identity and personal contact information, we are offering this form to remove your contact information if you would like but make sure that these stories get to the right leaders in these offices.
Questions? Contact us at info@payouthcongress.org.
A., 17, Allegheny County
If it had not been for CHIP covering my medical transition, I would not be alive today. From a young age I knew I was not living in the correct body, and experiencing puberty made this dysphoria far worse. I began falling into a depression, I began harming myself, having suicidal thoughts, and even acted upon them on several occasions. That was until I had found out that I could see a doctor to assist me in getting my body and soul to align. Hormone replacement therapy has changed my life in so many amazing ways. Thanks to CHIP, I can look in the mirror and sincerely say that I am myself, I can sleep easy knowing I am headed in the direction of my entire truth being lived.
Parent of B., 13, Montgomery County
My child sees the gender specialist down at CHOP. We have not started any hormone replacement therapy YET but it would be devastating not to have these things included in our healthcare. My child’s emotional well-being and life is at stake. [B.] suffers from anxiety and depression and has been admitted twice into inpatient facilities for suicidal ideation. Losing coverage for my child would be devastating. There is absolutely no way we could have afforded these treatments without the help of CHIP.
C., 13, Bucks County
Hello, my name is C., I’m 13 years old and I’m transgender. When I was little in school, people would ask me “are you a girl or a boy?” I would say boy, not knowing any better. That question, still haunting me today, evolved into “Do you wanna be a girl?” Again not knowing any better I would say no. These questions differed me from the other students yet luckily I always had good friends who supported me.
Through out my life I always said that I wanted to be a girl. When I was 2 years old I apparently found some silk scarves in my moms closet and immediately put them on my head to say it was my hair. I loved Ariel, Wonder Woman and Hawk Girl; not Batman, Superman and the Hulk. I wanted to wear girls clothing, play dress up, and be a girl in those pretend games we all played. One time when I was on vacation in Vermont with my parents I asked my mom “Can I be a girl mom? I feel like a girl.” and as we looked out into the snow covered sunset, she said “I don’t know.” And that confused me. I didn’t understand what the problem was. It seemed so easy. I felt like a girl and thought like a girl, most of my friends were girls; so why couldn’t I be one?
I got over it quickly though; mostly because I was only 6 years old at the time, but it never fully “went away.” I asked again in another year or so, then a few months after that, then a few weeks and finally it was all the time.. The feelings got stronger and I felt more and more uncomfortable in my own skin. I couldn’t look on the outside like who I always felt I was on the inside. That was always very confusing, because again why not? Why would people care what I wore or how I felt?
Then seventh grade happened. I couldn’t keep it in any longer just to appease people and their comfortability level. I finally voiced myself so strongly my parents finally said “okay” and we started the process. Doctors, therapy, and waiting. The waiting is the hardest part for me. Not knowing what could happen at any day, any second with my own body is very scary, but I know I have a great group of doctors and support and am finally on the right path. Finally on my path.
The world is changing, and with your help we can change peoples lives. We can change the perception people have of transgender people and the whole LGBTQ community. We need to support and accept and love everyone for who they are, differences or not. We could all live everyday for better and for worse, but together we can thrive.