Attorney General Bonta, along with 14 other attorneys general, has issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care. This action comes in response to a recent Executive Order from the Trump Administration.
The coalition's statement emphasizes the importance of healthcare policies that uphold the dignity and rights of all individuals. It states: "As state attorneys general, we stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity and rights of all people. Health care decisions should be made by patients, families, and doctors, not by a politician trying to use his power to restrict your freedoms. Gender-affirming care is essential, life-saving medical treatment that supports individuals in living as their authentic selves."
The statement challenges the Trump Administration's stance on gender-affirming care, arguing there is no scientific or legal basis for associating it with "female genital mutilation" or deeming it unlawful. The coalition asserts that President Trump cannot alter this through an Executive Order.
Recently, attorneys general achieved a significant victory when a federal court ordered the resumption of funding previously frozen by the Trump Administration. Following this decision, the Department of Justice notified that “federal agencies cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate any awards or obligations on the basis of the OMB memo, or on the basis of the President’s recently issued Executive Orders.” Consequently, federal funding for institutions providing gender-affirming care remains available despite President Trump's order.
The coalition vows to continue enforcing state laws supporting access to gender-affirming care where they have authority and plans to challenge any unlawful attempts by the Trump Administration to limit such access within their jurisdictions.
Joining Attorney General Bonta are attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.