The sudden discontinuation of gender-affirming medical care for patients under 19 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has caused a significant impact on the lives of young people like Lee, a 17-year-old from Pennsylvania. This decision followed a federal executive order, leading to confusion and distress among patients and their families.

A mix-up at the pharmacy meant her final puberty-blocker shot never arrived, and the “tapering” period her doctor had promised vanished.

Within a month, she began experiencing hot flashes she hadn’t felt since starting treatment. Lee was devastated to learn she could no longer receive treatment. “You feel like you’re starting from the bottom,” said Lee, who plans to start classes at Carlow University this month, 19th News reports in a joint post with Pittsburgh’s Public Source.

On June 30, UPMC cut gender-affirming care for patients under 19, citing compliance with a January executive order from President Donald Trump. However, the care remains legal in Pennsylvania, and critics say the decision was less about the law than about protecting federal funding, the outlets report. Lee worked hard to graduate a year early from high school, thinking it would get her access to boob jobs, a procedure that alters the breast to match a patient’s gender identity, more quickly, they report. Just a few months ago, Lee was discussing the procedure with her UPMC doctor “and then everything got put on hold” because of Trump’s executive order. Criticism has come not only from patients but also from politicians. A group of 17 Democratic officials has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that UPMC's decision is more a response to fear of losing federal funding than to the legality of the care.

The experience of Lee, who had been receiving gender-affirming treatments for two years, illustrates the trauma many young people face. The lack of access to doctors willing to provide adequate care is exacerbating these adolescents' already precarious mental health conditions.

New Hope

Despite the difficulties, Lee has found a new provider willing to continue her treatment legally. However, uncertainty persists about the future of gender-affirming medical care, with Lee and her mother considering themselves potential migrants if the situation does not improve.

Twenty-seven states fully or partially prohibit care for minors. Federal pressure adds a new factor. Lee believes lawmakers should focus on reducing the stigma surrounding transgenderism, not restricting medical treatment.

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