A federal judge in Oregon ruled Thursday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr overstepped his authority when he declared gender-affirming care for minors was neither “safe nor effective” and did not meet professional standards of health care, according to HuffPost, The Guardian, and Los Angeles Times. Judge Mustafa Kasubhai sided with 21 Democrat-led states who challenged Kennedy’s attempt to create a national standard against gender-affirming care for trans and gender-nonconforming minors.
Key Takeaways
A federal judge ruled that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr overstepped his authority by declaring gender-affirming care unsafe for minors. The ruling favors 21 Democrat-led states who challenged the declaration, which they argued violated their rights to regulate medical practices.
- Judge Mustafa Kasubhai blocked RFK Jr's national standard against gender-affirming care
- Ruling supports 21 Democrat-led states challenging Kennedy’s authority
- HHS had issued a declaration casting doubt on widely accepted medical standards for transgender youth
- LGBTQ+ advocates celebrated the ruling, emphasizing that healthcare providers and families should determine appropriate care
The ruling follows Kennedy's December declaration that sought to supersede state or national standards of care, casting doubt on the standards backed by major medical organizations like the American Medical Association. Kasubhai noted during the trial that Kennedy’s declaration “effectively eliminated” options for healthcare providers to treat patients seeking gender-affirming care.
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, celebrated the ruling in a statement: “Politicians, including RFK Jr., do not get to tell doctors how to do their jobs or families what decisions are best for their children,” according to HuffPost. New York Attorney General Letitia James also applauded the decision, emphasizing that healthcare services for transgender youth remain legal.
The ruling is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to halt access to gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy for minors. Since 2020, more than 40 hospitals have paused or stopped offering gender-affirming treatments to young people, including in states where such care is protected under state law.
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