In what has become an increasingly frequent occurrence, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) has had to issue yet another statement denouncing dangerous new state legislation restricting access to care — this time in response to Florida’s new draft rule to ban gender-affirming care for adolescents. This ruling will adopt a new standard of care that will prohibit physicians from prescribing medicine for gender-affirming care, such as hormones and puberty blockers, and from performing surgery for those under the age of 18.
Following violent threats, including a bomb threat, to notable healthcare systems such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Akron’s Children’s Hospital, some hospital systems and private practices that provide gender-affirming care have modified the information available on their websites and social media platforms. Many medical practices continue to be targeted aggressively by groups on social media, name-calling care providers “pedophiles,” “groomers,” and “mutilators of children.” These misinformed threats often call on others to “stop them” or make blatant death threats. While some practices have altered specific information about their providers, others have completely removed pages about the gender-affirming services they provide. The intention is to protect staff and put a stop to these threats, but the removal of this online information comes with consequences for patients and the general public.
