Seattle Children's Hospital pauses gender affirming surgeries, residents protest
The Brief
Residents gathered for a protest outside a Seattle hospital Saturday.
They were there to speak out against the hospital for ending gender-affirming care for youths.
Hospital organizers say they are seeking clarity on new legal restrictions.
SEATTLE - Some residents spent their Sunday protesting outside of Seattle Children's Hospital, after they told FOX 13, the hospital stopped its gender-affirming surgeries for transgender youth.
The move comes after President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at stopping federal support for gender-affirming care. The order bans federal support for this health care for transgender people under the age of 19.
People of all ages lined the streets as they held signs, waved flags and chanted.
What they're saying
"I think to give up one group of kids to help another doesn't really win for any of us, all kids need to be protected and have health care provided for them," Lauren Mahon, a supporter said.
Those protesting hope their chants outside of Seattle Children's Hospital will travel down Sandpoint Way and 41st Avenue Northeast to inside the hospital to those making the decisions.
"The reality is the suicide rates and the lack of love that these kids because their parents just don't understand it, that's our real concern," Anita Johnston, who traveled from Whidbey Island to attend, said.
Local perspective
For Vi, what's happening at the hospital is personal. "I myself am trans and I watched this happen in the south where I had to leave for my safety and my partner's safety," Vi said. "I know hundreds of cases of transgender children who were denied cared and took their own lives."
It's also personal for middle schoolers, Kai, Eleanor, Q and Adyn, who also attended the protest on Sunday. "We just want to be protected from the people who say they should protect the other kids from us," Eleanor said.
Wearing a sign with the words 'protect us,' the students told FOX 13, the freedoms they've grown up with are quickly changing. "It's kind of troubling to think that all of this safe space is going to become not as safe with our new president," Kai said.
"All of this stuff that we fought for is all just going down the trash," Adyn said.
"It can be very scary with all the stuff happening because it's happening at such a quick rate that it's sometimes hard to process and you don't know what to expect next," Q said.
FOX 13 reached out to the hospital and they sent us this statement:
"Seattle Children's is supporting the Washington State Attorney General's Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in response to President Trump's January 28th Executive Order directing federal agencies to revoke funding for institutions providing gender-affirming care (GAC) to minors.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the orders legal authority, we are seeking clarity to safeguard the best interests of Seattle Children's patients and families, and our workforce, so we can continue to deliver on our mission. We remain committed to caring for our patients and families who need us and engaging in life changing research, while ensuring we operate within all applicable laws."
Elayne Wylie helped provide security, safety and support on Sunday and has a message for the hospital.
"You have a mission to do no harm and what we're seeing in the community is harm and you need to listen to your community and respond with the people that rely on the support the children's hospital gives," Wylie said.
The Source
Information for this report comes from original interviews with FOX 13 Seattle.
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