[Boston] Facing federal pressure, Fenway Health halts gender-affirming care

[Lori Dee]

Facing federal pressure, Fenway Health halts gender-affirming care for patients under 19
The Boston clinic's move has prompted backlash from community members.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2025/10/15/fenway-health-halts-gender-affirming-care-for-patients-under-19/ 🔗
Boston.com - Beth Treffeisen
October 15, 2025 | 12:42 PM

Fenway Health, a cornerstone of Boston's LGBTQ+ community, announced Monday that it will stop providing gender-affirming care for patients under 19 — a decision the clinic says comes in response to new federal requirements tied to its funding.

The federally qualified health center said it must comply with Health Resources & Services Administration regulations to maintain support for its more than 30,000 patients. Fenway Health emphasized that its priority remains the "health, safety, and continuity of care" for those affected.

Alejandra Caraballo, a former board member of Fenway Health, took to Bluesky, saying this move was a "cowardly capitulation sacrificing trans youth."

J.T. Scott, a city councilor in Somerville on Bluesky, added, "Fenway Health cutting off access to medical treatment for trans youth is shameful and unnecessary. There is no need for this."

He urged the community to contact the attorney general and the governor, arguing that ending this care at Fenway Health violates state law, which protects access to reproductive and gender-affirming health services.

Some have argued it also contradicts Boston's declaration as a sanctuary city for transgender people. The resolution says the city prohibits taxpayer-funded agencies from cooperating with federal efforts to restrict resources that protect transgender rights.

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City Councilor JT Scott has also asked everyone, including cisgender people, to call the Governor and the State Attorney General to complain. Phone numbers are listed in the article. Click the link above.

[Asche]

Also, as a number of people have publicly pointed out, knuckling under to a bully just encourages them to bully  you further.  I'm told that all of the institutions that have caved in to Trump's demands have faced additional, more intrusive demands.

And if Fenway health's focus is to provide health care for LGBTQ+ people, then Trump & Co. are aiming to shut them down entirely.  Does anyone seriously believe that they won't cut off all federal support?  It seems to me that now is the time to start preparing to do without any federal funding.  Which, I assume, is where they were when they first started.