Los Angeles takes a stand to protect gender-affirming care as community advocates step forward

Los Angeles is once again taking a public stand in support of transgender, gender expansive, and intersex (TGI) youth, their families, and their access to gender-affirming care.

Councilmember Ysabel Jurado from District 14 , with members of The TransLatin@ Coalition, inside Los Angeles City Hall

On April 15, Council member Ysabel Jurado introduced a resolution opposing a formal declaration by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and two proposed federal rules advanced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that would significantly restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare for minors. While Jurado’s resolution specifically references individuals under 18, one of the proposed CMS rules would affect youth covered through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which serves those under 19. Together, the measures target Medicaid reimbursement and hospital funding streams, a shift that could place critical care out of reach for many families.

While the resolution does not directly change local law, it signals Los Angeles’s formal opposition to federal actions that have already created uncertainty within the healthcare system and, if finalized, could undermine access to medically necessary, evidence-based care by restricting federal funding.

Gender-affirming healthcare is widely recognized by major medical organizations as essential to supporting mental health and overall well-being. Opponents of the federal proposals argue that these restrictions would override the clinical judgment of healthcare providers and limit the ability of families to make informed decisions, ultimately placing vulnerable young people at greater risk.

At City Hall, community voices played a key role in demonstrating support for the resolution.

Members of The TransLatin@ Coalition, outside Los Angeles City Hall

Members of The TransLatin@ Coalition’s Policy Department were present to publicly back the measure, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to advocacy at every level of government. Alongside representatives from the Los Angeles Civil Rights Department and other community leaders, coalition members made clear that those most impacted by these policies are not standing on the sidelines.

Maya Daniels, Local Policy Initiatives Organizer at TransLatin@ Coalition, making a public comment on behalf of our communities

Our very own Maya Daniels, Local Policy Initiatives Organizer, emphasized the stakes during public comment, describing gender-affirming healthcare as “essential, evidence-based care” that enables individuals to live authentically, while warning that harmful rhetoric and policy proposals threaten bodily autonomy more broadly.

Their presence reflects a broader reality: transgender, gender expansive, and intersex communities, and the organizations that represent them, are not merely reacting to policy decisions. In this case, advocates showed up in support of Councilmember Jurado’s resolution, helping elevate community perspectives as the policy moves forward.

The resolution will now move to committee before returning to the full City Council for a vote. If adopted, it will become part of Los Angeles’s federal legislative agenda, formally aligning the city in opposition to the proposed restrictions.

For The TransLatin@ Coalition, this moment reflects more than a single policy fight. It is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that TGI communities are seen, heard, and represented in the decisions that affect our lives.

Members of The TransLatin@ Coalition, outside Los Angeles City Hall

As federal debates continue, one thing is clear: community advocates in Los Angeles are not waiting to be included, they are already at the table.