The AAMC joined the American Academy of Pediatrics and more than 20 other medical organizations in a Sept. 19 appellate amicus brief (PDF) focused on ensuring that all adolescents, including those with gender dysphoria, receive the optimal medical and mental health care they need.
The brief was filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and urged the court to affirm the lower court’s injunction in State of Washington v. Trump. The case involves executive order 14187 directing federal agencies to end federal support for gender-affirming medical care for people under nineteen.
The brief provides background on gender identity and gender dysphoria. It reviews the professionally accepted medical guidelines for treating adolescents with gender dysphoria, the scientifically rigorous process by which the guidelines were developed, and the evidence that gender-affirming care is effective and saves lives. It also addresses several misconceptions about gender-affirming medical care for adolescents. Because the brief focuses primarily on adolescents, it does not discuss surgeries that are typically available to transgender adults.
- Washington Highlights