A federal judge in Seattle extended the block on President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw federal funding from institutions providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
The initial two-week restraining order granted by U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King, following a lawsuit by the Democratic attorneys general of Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota, was extended with a preliminary injunction.
The big picture: The judge questioned the legitimacy and scope of two executive orders issued by Trump – one targeting federal funds for programs promoting “gender ideology” and the other cutting off grants for institutions offering gender-affirming care to individuals under 19.
- The judge highlighted concerns that the executive order’s terminology, using terms like “maiming” and “mutilation,” misrepresented the widely endorsed gender-affirming care recommended by the medical community, including respected organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- She emphasized that the orders were not limited to children or irreversible treatments, potentially preventing necessary medical interventions for transgender youth even unrelated to gender identity.
Zoom in; The judge pressed the Justice Department on the legality of Trump’s orders and the legitimacy of gender dysphoria, a medically recognized diagnosis that the administration seemed hesitant to acknowledge.
- Arguments presented by the Democratic attorneys general focused on violations of equal rights protections, the separation of powers, and the states’ rights to regulate non-federally delegated issues in challenging Trump’s orders.
Zoom out: Apart from healthcare access issues, Trump’s administration had also signed orders related to transgender military service, gender education in schools, and the participation of transgender athletes in sports, prompting various legal challenges nationwide.
