Navigating Uncertainty: Families of Transgender Children Grapple with Evolving Healthcare Access
Amanda glanced into the rearview mirror, her eyes meeting the reflection of her 11-year-old son, Bean, nestled in the third row of their minivan. His eyes, still swollen from tears, were glued to a movie playing on his iPad, one leg stretched across the bench seat. "Hold on, buddy," she murmured to herself, a silent reassurance against the backdrop of their long journey, "We’re almost home."
Bean’s aversion to shots was well-known, but this trip was different. His anxiety had been amplified by the four-hour drive from the clinic in New York back to their home in Northeast Ohio. The necessity of this pilgrimage underscored a harsh reality: because Bean was assigned female at birth, this was the only way he could access gender-affirming care as a minor, a lifeline that had recently been thrown into jeopardy by political headwinds.
The specter of President Donald Trump’s executive order, directing federal agencies to crack down on hospitals providing such care, loomed large over their lives. The question of how schools would navigate the evolving legal landscape, particularly concerning issues like transgender bathroom access in Ohio, added another layer of uncertainty.
A temporary reprieve arrived in the form of a federal judge’s ruling, blocking U.S. health agencies from enforcing Trump’s order on February 13th. This restraining order, issued in response to a lawsuit filed by families of transgender teens and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, provided a momentary sigh of relief. The few hospitals that had temporarily halted certain gender-affirming services for minors cautiously resumed care.
However, the families of transgender children remained on edge, feeling besieged by an environment of growing hostility. The temporary block on the executive order did little to alleviate the anxiety surrounding state-level bans, like those in Ohio, that sought to restrict gender-affirming care for minors.
Amanda, who requested that only her middle name be used to protect her child’s medical privacy, makes the arduous journey to western New York every six months to consult with doctors and obtain puberty blockers for Bean. Even though Bean identifies as male, he isn’t ready to make the momentous decision of whether to undergo female puberty or to initiate hormone therapy to transition.
"This kid isn’t ready to decide how he would feel about boobs and a period if it happens at the age it did for me, which was 11," Amanda explained, her voice laced with concern. "My kid needs that pause to have that adult conversation with therapists."
Amanda views this course of action as preventative care, crucial for safeguarding Bean’s mental health. Research has consistently demonstrated that transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals are diagnosed with mental health conditions more frequently than young people who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. A 2022 study further illuminated this connection, finding that gender-affirming medical interventions were associated with lower odds of depression and suicidality in adolescents and young adults.
The experience of Sarah Celotto, a 49-year-old from Gilford, Connecticut, mirrors Amanda’s anxieties. She firmly believes that gender-affirming care saved her son’s life. Her son, Cameron, was only 12 when he began battling severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. These struggles rapidly escalated into eating disorders and self-harm.
Raised in a conservative household, Celotto described her upbringing as existing in a "very straight world." She was initially unaware that Cameron’s pain might stem from gender dysphoria. However, as Cameron entered puberty, his mental health deteriorated drastically.
"His whole body was changing – the menstrual cycle and everything – and it was just destroying him," Celotto recounted, her voice filled with emotion. After years of therapy and consultations with social workers, Cameron came out to his mother. Together, they decided to begin his transition the following week.
Now 17, Cameron has undergone gender-affirming surgery and is taking testosterone. The debilitating depression and anxiety that once consumed him have vanished, and he’s begun making plans for his future beyond his senior year of high school.
"I don’t know what would have happened if that wasn’t available for him," Celotto admitted, her voice cracking with emotion. "I would have buried my daughter."
Despite Cameron’s consistent access to the medical care that saved his life, Celotto remains deeply disturbed by the anti-trans rhetoric emanating from political spheres, including executive orders aimed at curtailing access to care.
"What was upsetting was seeing the words that were coming out of Trump’s mouth that I was reading in black and white saying my child doesn’t exist – shouldn’t exist," Celotto said, her voice filled with indignation. "I have worked so hard as a parent to keep my child alive, and here is an administration coming in and doing whatever they can to undo that."
The stories of Amanda and Sarah, of Bean and Cameron, highlight the deeply personal and often fraught choices that families of transgender children must navigate. Their experiences underscore the vital importance of access to gender-affirming care, not just as a medical intervention, but as a lifeline that can save lives and enable young people to thrive. They also serve as a reminder of the constant vigilance required to protect these rights in an increasingly polarized and politicized environment.
