The federal government is threatening funding for gender-affiming care, and some major healthcare providers are cancelling procedures and programs even though state law requires them to provide this care. Choose a few of the talking points below and contact your state Assemblymember and Senator. (Find your legislator and their contact info here.)

$26 Million Budget Request — Establishes Medi-Cal funding to ensure providers can continue delivering legally protected transgender health care, and provides targeted grants to stabilize and rebuild the provider network.

Talking Points:

• Gender-affirming health care is recognized as medically necessary, essential treatment.
• California is home to the largest TGI population in the country, including hundreds of thousands of transgender adults and youth.
• Federal actions are threatening access to gender-affirming care across the country. Some major California healthcare providers are stopping gender-affirming care, in violation of California law.
• The California budget needs to include funds for Medi-Cal coverage and reimbursement for gender-affirming health care in California, so providers can keep offering care even if they lose federal funding.
• California needs to be a leader in expanding and supporting gender-affirming care.

AB 1930 (Zbur) — Safeguard Patient Privacy from Out-of-State Investigations – Protects the privacy of patients and healthcare providers by limiting disclosure of information in an investigation related to abortion or transgender health care.

Talking Points:

• The federal government and other states are attempting to investigate patients and providers for reproductive and gender-affirming care that is protected under California law. Patients and providers will be at risk if this information is disclosed.
• AB 1930 strengthens California’s protections for confidential medical information, including reproductive and gender affirming care: entities would have to notify the Attorney General before responding to subpoenas, affected individuals would be notified, the Attorney General could intervene and enforce state law protections.
• Patients who need healthcare, and providers who supply it, should be protected. California should be a leader in standing up against persecution.

• COMMENT ON PROPOSED FEDERAL REGULATIONS essentially banning funding for gender-affirming health care – Comments are due by Feb. 17, so there’s still (a little) time. See our explainer on background, how to submit comments, and talking points. NOTE: given the short time, only submit comments on the official portal or by express mail.

• SCOUTING NEWS, BAD AND GOOD:

• • The bad: Believe it or not, the Department of War is menacing Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America). The Pentagon is threatening to end its longstanding support because Scouting America has for a few years admitted girls and openly gay boys. Scouting America may be nearing an agreement “to appease the Trump regime’s sudden interest in one of the country’s largest youth organizations,” according to Erin in the Morning. If you have or had a kid involved with scouting, please contact Scouting America – there doesn’t seem to be a web portal or email address, please mail your comments to PO Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079.
  • The good: the Girl Scouts continue to be awesome in support of trans kids, despite pressure from the religious right. Buy Girl Scout cookies from trans scouts!

And don’t forget to register for Advocacy Day! On March 25, LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day will bring together community leaders, advocates, and allies from across the state to highlight the growing threats – particularly those facing transgender youth and their families – and to build collective power for meaningful change. Don’t wait – last year’s Advocacy Day spaces filled up, so register now on the PFLAG SF website.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS FIGHTING FOR LGBTQ+ RIGHTS AND JUSTICE

December 2025

Sutter Health has joined other hospitals that have decided to end gender affirming care to youth (under age 19). This is contrary to California law: as the Department of Managed Health Care says, “health plans licensed by the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and insurers licensed by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) are required by California law to provide health plan enrollees who identify as transgender, gender diverse, or intersex (TGI) with medically necessary Gender Affirming Care.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been a leader in protecting trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer folk against the anti-trans efforts of the federal administration. In November, he issued a “Know Your Rights” document on health care, saying “In California, state law protects you from discrimination and guarantees access to medically necessary care for everyone, regardless of gender identity. Insurance companies in California have a legal obligation to provide timely, safe, and equitable access to healthcare services, so you can get the support you need.”

We can be sure that AG Bonta is getting plenty of mail from the anti-trans forces. Show him your support by thanking him for what he’s done and urging him to keep up the good work.

Attorney General Rob Bonta

916-445-9555 / https://oag.ca.gov/contact/general-contact-form 

You can use these talking points, or write your own. Please use your own words whenever possible, and say as much about your personal situation as feels safe.

• I am the parent of a trans child
• I am the parent of a child who needs/has needed gender affirming care
• I am a California resident, living in _____ County
• I want my child and all LGBTQ+ people to be able to get all necessary health care, including gender affirming care
• Sutter Health and other California health care systems and hospitals are planning to end gender affirming care for people under 19
• California law requires health care providers to provide gender affirming care
• Thank you for your recent guidance making clear that all Californians have the right to gender affirming care
• Thank you for your support for the rights of LGBTQI+ people
• Please take strong measures to ensure that Sutter Health and all other California health care systems and hospitals keep providing gender affirming care, as California law requires