CHLA: Be a Leader in Acknowledging Harms and Do the Right Thing by These Kids

From the Desk of Jamie Reed, Whistleblower and Co-founder, LGB Courage Coalition

The recent announcement from Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) — that it will be closing its Center for Transyouth Health and Development and its Gender-Affirming Care (GAC) surgical program by July 22, 2025 — is profoundly significant. While framed by CHLA as a "difficult" decision forced by "external pressures," from the perspective of those who have long advocated for the safety and well-being of young people, this is a resounding victory for common sense, ethical medicine, and the protection of childhood.

This is not just another clinic closure; CHLA's Center for Transyouth Health and Development was widely recognized as one of the largest and most influential pediatric gender clinics in the United States, and certainly in California. Its substantial patient volume and its role as a leader in research and training meant that its practices often set a precedent for other facilities. The fact that even an institution of CHLA's stature, which has been at the forefront of providing these services for decades, is shutting down its program speaks volumes.

Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash

As a whistleblower from the pediatric gender industry, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of an ideology that prioritized radical interventions over comprehensive mental health support for vulnerable young people. The news from CHLA indicates a critical shift away from a model that has caused undue harm.

CHLA's letter explicitly cites "increasingly severe impacts of federal administrative actions and proposed policies," including direct warnings from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the FBI, as well as a critical HHS review that "dismissed current evidence-based care protocols and standards of care" used by clinics like CHLA. They even noted the threat of losing vital federal funding (Medicare/Medi-Cal) if they continued certain practices.

What does this truly mean? It means that finally, after years of concern from parents, detransitioners, ethical clinicians, and organizations like the LGB Courage Coalition, federal authorities are recognizing the profound risks and lack of robust evidence supporting the rapid medicalization of gender-questioning youth.

This closure is not about denying care, but about recalibrating care to prioritize the long-term health and well-being of children. It's about acknowledging that for many young people, exploring their identity does not, and should not, lead to medical interventions that carry significant risks and irreversible changes.

Addressing the Social Media Narrative: Fact vs. Fear

We recognize that the dominant sentiment on platforms like Bluesky and other social media is currently one of profound concern, anger, and a call to action regarding CHLA's closure. Many are framing this as a devastating blow to transgender youth's access to healthcare, igniting fears about the immediate safety and well-being of young people previously served by the center. This emotional response is understandable, given the powerful narratives that have been cultivated around "gender-affirming care" as universally life-saving.

However, it's crucial to look beyond the immediate alarm and understand the deeper implications of this development. While the established gender industry and its advocates are expressing dismay, from the perspective of those committed to genuine child protection and evidence-based medicine, this is a necessary correction. The prevailing narrative often overlooks the growing body of evidence, and the experiences of countless detransitioners, that question the efficacy and safety of these interventions for minors.

For Families Impacted by CHLA's Closure: Reassurance and a Path Forward

We understand that for families whose children have been receiving care at CHLA, this news may bring confusion, fear, and uncertainty about what comes next. We want to offer sincere reassurance:

If your child has been on puberty blockers, it is crucial to understand that there is no medical crisis associated with returning to natural puberty. Puberty is a normal, healthy biological process, not a disease. The idea that allowing a child to go through their natural development is a "medical crisis" is a narrative created by the gender industry, not by biological reality. Discontinuing these interventions simply allows the body to resume its natural course.

For those on cross-sex hormones, there are established guidelines for safely tapering off these medications, often under the guidance of a medical professional. More importantly, as long as the patient still has their gonads (testes or ovaries), a medical crisis is not imminent if they cease hormone therapy, even without a formal taper. The body will naturally begin to reregulate its own hormone production. The crisis is not a medical one; it's a mental and emotional one that can be addressed and overcome with calm, resilient dialogue and support.

Parents and their children should be reassured that time, open communication, and developmentally appropriate mental health care are powerful tools. Many young people who experience gender distress eventually desist, or come to terms with their biological sex, particularly when given adequate psychological support and space for natural development.

If you are a parent whose child has ever been seen at CHLA's Center for Transyouth Health and Development, we urge you to contact the LGB Courage Coalition. We want to hear from you, particularly regarding whether CHLA has contacted you directly to notify you about this closure and outline continuity of care plans. Your experience is vital for understanding the full impact of this situation.

A Crucial Demand for CHLA: Long-Term Follow-Up and Accountability

While CHLA's decision to close these programs is a welcome development, it raises a critical issue of accountability. We demand that Children's Hospital Los Angeles immediately commit to a comprehensive, long-term follow-up plan for all patients who have received puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgical interventions through their Center for Transyouth Health and Development.

This long-term follow-up must include:

• Regular bone density scans and appropriate treatment for any bone density issues resulting from medical interventions.

• Ongoing endocrine monitoring for any long-term effects of cross-sex hormones on the body's natural systems.

• Comprehensive consideration of long-term fertility impacts for all patients, with clear guidance and support.

It is an ethical imperative that CHLA track the long-term outcomes of these interventions. As a whistleblower, I can attest that we lack robust, long-term data on what these experimental interventions have truly done to these children. Institutions cannot simply close down programs and walk away from their responsibility to the patients they have harmed. The future health and well-being of these young people, including their physical health, mental health, fertility, and detransition rates, must be meticulously documented and made publicly available for scientific and ethical review. Furthermore, CHLA needs to ensure that all of the data on these patients is meticulously preserved for future investigations. This is not just about medical ethics; it is about the profound impact on human lives.

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While this is a monumental step, it's important to recognize that the work is far from over. Other facilities in California continue to offer pediatric care. This underscores the ongoing need for vigilance and a critical reevaluation of current practices. These include:

• UCSF Child & Adolescent Gender Center (CAGC): Located in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Ramon (Note: UCSF CAGC states they do not provide gender-affirming surgeries but refer older adolescents and young adults to external providers.)

• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford (Palo Alto): Their Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic offers hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and may offer "top surgery" (chest surgery) for adolescents and young adults.

• UCI Health Pediatric Gender Diversity Program (Orange): This program provides puberty suppression and hormone therapy.

• Rady Children's Hospital Center for Gender-Affirming Care (San Diego): hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and referrals for gender surgeries.

• UCLA Gender Health Program (Los Angeles): hormone therapy with referrals to surgery.

It is noteworthy that while these other prominent healthcare centers like UCSF and Stanford Children's Health publicly state their support for transgender and gender-diverse youth, no public statements explicitly addressing CHLA’s closure have been found from them. This lack of public commentary from other institutions offering similar services might be due to various reasons, including the sensitive nature of the issue, the potential for attracting unwanted attention, or a desire to avoid commenting on the specific decisions of other institutions. Nonetheless, the continued operation of these centers highlights the ongoing debate and the varying approaches within California's healthcare landscape.

Overall, it's important to remember that the situation is fluid, and the legal and political landscape can change rapidly. The outcome of ongoing legal challenges and the actions of future administrations will have a significant impact. While it's impossible to predict with certainty, the current environment suggests that additional centers providing pediatric GAC could face challenges or even closures in the future. The increasing restrictions on access to care and the legal and political challenges surrounding the issue create a climate of uncertainty for both patients and providers within the gender industry. Uncertainty leads to desperation. Parents and patients should be provided with calm reassurance that as one door closes, another pathway will open for them.

The LGB Courage Coalition advocates for genuine support for young people grappling with distress. CHLA's decision, even if made under duress from federal pressure, sends a powerful message: it is no longer business as usual. This is not a punitive measure against children, but a necessary step to protect them from a medical model that has proven to be reckless and irreversible.

We commend the courage of those within the federal government who are finally taking decisive action to safeguard children, we seek the same leadership from hospital executives. This closure represents a critical opportunity for the medical community to reflect, reassess, and return to an ethical, developmentally appropriate approach that puts the genuine welfare of young people first.

The LGB Courage Coalition will continue to advocate for policies and practices that support young people through comprehensive mental health care, ensuring their rights and safeguarding their healthy development, free from unnecessary and irreversible medical interventions. This is a monumental step in the right direction, but our vigilance must continue as other centers still operate under models that raise serious concerns.