transgender health : NPR

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is shown at his confirmation hearing wearing a blue jacket and red tie.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has 30 days to present a plan on how to implement President Trump's executive order on transgender people in the military. Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military

January 28, 2025 • The executive order speaks of transgender identity in sweeping and dismissive terms and sets the stage for a policy that is more restrictive and punitive than the ban from Trump's first term.

A crowd of people are photographed from above in the Oklahoma state capitol. Some of them hold handmade signs supporting trans rights. A sign in the middle reads, "You can't erase us."

Trans-rights activists protest outside the House chamber at the Oklahoma state capitol before the State of the State address, Feb. 6, 2023, in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma and 25 other states have anti-trans laws on the books. Sue Ogrocki/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Sue Ogrocki/AP

Shots - Health News

Trans health care under Trump may follow the abortion playbook and its Hyde amendment

November 22, 2024 • Republicans spent $222 million on anti-trans and LGBTQ advertising in the campaign. Various policy initiatives are on the incoming administration's to-do list.

Trans health care under Trump may follow the abortion playbook and its Hyde amendment

Listen · 5:52 5:52

Transcript

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5188573/nx-s1-5267030-1" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Veronica, 17, is a teen with long, straight red hair, wearing a camisole top, jeans and necklaces. She's sitting cross-legged on a medical exam table, smiling.

Veronica, 17, drove with her mother nearly four hours from her home in Iowa to visit a doctor in Minneapolis in September. Iowa banned gender-affirming care for youth in March 2023.
Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR

Shots - Health News

Her state bans gender-affirming care for teenagers. So she travels 450 miles for it

September 27, 2024 • An estimated 110,000 trans teenagers live in states that ban gender-affirming care for minors. Some travel huge distances every few months to keep getting their treatment out-of-state.

Trans Youth Road Trip

Listen · 8:16 8:16

Transcript

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5104225/nx-s1-97f0af27-f681-4da7-9f60-56b27228a6b9" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Area chart showing the number of states with laws that limit youth access to gender-affirming care. The number increases dramatically in 2023 — from three states to 22 states — and ends with 25 states in June of 2024.

Hilary Fung/NPR

Shots - Health News

In just a few years, half of all states passed bans on trans health care for kids

July 3, 2024 • The Supreme Court will hear a case on gender-affirming care in the next term after a flurry of legislation. Lower courts have come to conflicting conclusions when these bans were challenged.

In just a few years, half of all states passed bans on trans health care for kids

Listen · 4:06 4:06

Transcript

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-4986385/nx-s1-faee3dc5-2e35-47ff-b7c8-985f2c11a087" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Nex Benedict was frequently targeted by bullies at their Oklahoma high school because of their gender identity. Kasandra Phelps via GoFundMe hide caption

toggle caption

Kasandra Phelps via GoFundMe

National

What happened to Nex Benedict?

March 15, 2024 • Prosecutors said Thursday that they will not pursue charges in the death of Benedict, prompting an outcry from LGBTQ+ advocates.

All The Only Ones: No More (Gender) Drama

Sally Chen for NPR

Embedded

All The Only Ones: No More (Gender) Drama

November 16, 2023 • In the final episode of the series, we meet Christine, an 18 year old from New Mexico, shortly after starting hormone replacement therapy, as she navigates her freshman year of college. We also meet Dr. Charles Ihlenfeld, who was a physician at the John Hopkins Gender Clinic, working with many young people as they transitioned in the 1970s. We spend time with one of his patients, Joanna, whose path to transition meant hiding her past, and how in 2023, being visible can be empowering, but also dangerous.

All The Only Ones: No More (Gender) Drama

Listen · 50:21 50:21

Transcript

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1200150163/1213212619" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

The Pervasiveness Of Transgender Health Care Discrimination

Mint Images/Getty Images

Short Wave

The Pervasiveness Of Transgender Health Care Discrimination

September 13, 2021 • A new report from the Center for American Progress finds that nearly half of transgender people have experienced mistreatment at the hands of a medical provider. NBC OUT reporter Jo Yurcaba explains the long-term impacts of this discrimination, plus a few potential solutions.

The Pervasiveness Of Transgender Health Care Discrimination

Listen · 13:14 13:14

Transcript

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1035457004/1200395090" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

How To Start Hormone Replacement Therapy

Claudio Reyes/AFP via Getty Images

Short Wave

How To Start Hormone Replacement Therapy

August 25, 2021 • Medical transition-related treatments like hormone replacement therapy are associated with overwhelmingly positive outcomes in terms of both physical and mental health for transgender people. But, it can be hard to know exactly how to get started. Reporter James Factora explains where to start, common misconceptions about HRT, and the importance of finding community through the process.

How To Start Hormone Replacement Therapy

Listen · 14:26 14:26

Transcript

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1015988064/1200395138" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Sheriff's Deputy Sues Her County To Get Health Coverage For Transgender-Related Care

Sgt. Anna Lange filed a lawsuit against the county where she works in Georgia for refusing to allow her health insurance plan to cover gender-affirmation surgery. Audra Melton for NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Audra Melton for NPR

Shots - Health News

Sheriff's Deputy Sues Her County To Get Health Coverage For Transgender-Related Care

KFF Health News

October 2, 2019 • Attorneys say a win in the case filed in central Georgia on Wednesday could ultimately set a precedent that influences the law in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Reverse Protections For Transgender Patients

Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, announced Friday a new proposed rule rolling back anti-discrimination protections for transgender patients. Those protections had been written in 2016 but enjoined in court. Jacquelyn Martin/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Shots - Health News

Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Reverse Protections For Transgender Patients

May 24, 2019 • A federal agency issued a proposed rule Friday that rolls back Obama-era protections for transgender patients. Advocates for transgender people say the rule leaves them vulnerable to discrimination.

Fresh Challenges To State Exclusions On Transgender Health Coverage

Anna Lange, who works for the sheriff's office in Houston County, Ga., discovered that her health insurance plan excludes transgender services. She is seeking to challenge that policy. Audra Melton for NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Audra Melton for NPR

Shots - Health News

Fresh Challenges To State Exclusions On Transgender Health Coverage

March 12, 2019 • Although federal law prohibits health insurance plans from discriminating against transgender individuals, a Georgia county specifically excludes trans-related health care from coverage.

Medical Students Push For More LGBT Health Training To Address Disparities

Sarah Spiegel, a third-year student at New York Medical College, pushed for more education on LGBT health issues for students. Mengwen Cao for NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Mengwen Cao for NPR

Shots - Health News

Medical Students Push For More LGBT Health Training To Address Disparities

January 20, 2019 • One in 5 LGBT adults has avoided medical care for fear of discrimination, according to a recent survey, and 80 percent of physicians surveyed say they feel "not competent" to treat LGBT patients.

In A Reversal, Wisconsin To Cover State Workers Seeking Transgender Treatment

Wren Vetens fought to get her gender confirmation surgery covered after the Group Insurance Board's initial decision left her without insurance coverage. Lauren Justice for KHN hide caption

toggle caption

Lauren Justice for KHN

Shots - Health News

In A Reversal, Wisconsin To Cover State Workers Seeking Transgender Treatment

KFF Health News

August 29, 2018 • A Wisconsin insurance board has reversed a decision made last year to bar coverage of transgender hormone therapy and surgery for public workers.