CALL TO ACTION: Plan a rally supporting trans youth lives in front of your local UPMC location on April 3, 2025
UPMC has decided to begin denying gender affirming medical healthcare for new and some existing patients under 19 years old at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP). This care at UPMC’s only gender clinic has been vital to the many young people whose lives depend on it for over a decade. Statewide coordinated rallies will raise critical visibility of mass public rejection of UPMC’s decision in pre-compliance with an illegal Executive Order, and demand they reverse their decision under the current circumstances. Continuing behavioral healthcare alone is not enough to save the lives of trans children and youth. TransYOUniting is mobilizing a mass protest on Thursday, April 3, 2025 at UPMC’s headquarters in Pittsburgh. In solidarity and to increase the people power behind the demands, we MUST organize local rallies across UPMC’s footprint in PA. It’s now or never. Will you organize quickly to help protect life-saving healthcare for trans children and youth in our state? If we don’t push back now, other healthcare systems may follow and our public officials may remain silent.
This is an emergency we must respond to. These rallies will demonstrate needed public support for young trans Pennsylvanians.
Whether you are a few people with a sign and a camera, or a group of 100 with a sound system and local media present — we need everyone in small towns and large cities with UPMC locations to show up. We know it can be intimidating to show up with a smaller group or quickly plan a large gathering — but we know you can do this.
Below is a guide for how to organize a solidarity rally for trans youth healthcare in your own community. Further, there are examples of invitations to public officials, chant options, and sign ideas.
Please register your interest to host a rally here in order to receive additional information.
Questions? Please email info@payouthcongress.org.
Planning a “Demand UPMC in Pittsburgh Continue Saving Trans Lives” Rally Resources
“Demand UPMC in Pittsburgh Continue Saving Trans Lives” Rally Toolkit
UPMC Rally Toolkit — Inviting Public Officials
UPMC Rally Toolkit — Inviting Partner Organizations
UPMC Rally Toolkit — Chants
UPMC Rally Toolkit — Template Flyer
UPMC Rally Toolkit
Articles
Under pressure from Trump, UPMC canceled a trans patient’s scheduled top surgery (Pittsburgh City Paper)
Multiple families of trans kids denied gender-affirming medications at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (Pitt News)
Trans Youth Denied Gender-Affirming Medications at UPMC Children’s Hospital Following Trump’s Executive Order (QBurgh)
As hospitals grapple with Trump’s gender-affirming care ban, young people are caught in the middle (WESA Pittsburgh)