The House Passed a Federal Ban Targeting Trans Youth Healthcare
- James Agens
- Dec 18
- 3 min read
Here’s What It Means and How We Stop It
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3492, the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” a bill led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene that would criminalize gender-affirming medical care for transgender people under 18. Congress.gov
This is a major escalation in a national strategy that uses transgender people—especially young people—as political scapegoats. The bill has now moved to the U.S. Senate, where we still have an opportunity to stop it.
Where the bill stands now
On December 17, 2025, the House passed the bill 216–211
The bill is now headed to the Senate for consideration. Congress.gov
What this bill would do
If enacted, this bill would have immediate, harmful consequences for families and healthcare providers:
Criminalizes care: It would make it a federal crime for providers to offer certain forms of gender-affirming medical care to transgender people under 18. Congress.gov
Punishes providers: The ACLU warns providers could face steep fines and up to 10 years in federal prison. American Civil Liberties Union
Chills healthcare broadly: When politicians threaten doctors with prison for delivering recognized medical care, providers may stop offering related services entirely—reducing access to care in communities and pushing families into crisis. The Guardian+1
Targets trans people while allowing other procedures: Advocates have noted the bill’s language effectively targets transgender youth while still permitting certain non-consensual interventions on intersex infants and youth—highlighting that this is about politics and scapegoating, not protecting children. American Civil Liberties Union+1
Why criminalizing healthcare harms everyone
This isn’t only about transgender people. It’s about what happens when lawmakers decide they can criminalize healthcare based on ideology.
When medical care becomes a political battleground:
Families lose the ability to make decisions with qualified professionals.
Doctors and hospitals practice under fear, not best standards of care.
Trust in healthcare systems erodes.
The precedent spreads: today it’s trans youth care—tomorrow it can be other medically necessary care that becomes politically inconvenient.
Criminalizing care doesn’t create safety. It creates harm, stigma, and chaos—and it leaves real families to carry the consequences.
What gender-affirming care is (and what it is not)
You’ve probably heard the phrase “gender-affirming care” used in ways that are meant to alarm people. Here’s the truth:
Gender-affirming care simply means healthcare that respects who someone is and supports their well-being. It is a broad, evidence-based approach to care that helps people live safely and comfortably in their bodies. It does not force anyone to medically transition—rather, it supports thoughtful, informed decisions made with the guidance of families and doctors. Many forms of gender-affirming care are used by cisgender people every day.
Gender-affirming care is not one single procedure. It can include:
mental health support and counseling
treatment for anxiety or depression
care for puberty-related concerns
hormone care for menopause or other hormone-related health needs
For transgender youth specifically, care is individualized and often begins with supportive counseling and family guidance. Politicians have tried to collapse this reality into a scare phrase—but real healthcare is careful, patient-centered, and grounded in professional standards, not political talking points.
What comes next
The bill has passed the House—but it is not law. The Senate is the next battleground, and Senators need to hear from constituents now, before this bill gains traction.
There are also other federal efforts being pushed alongside this agenda, including proposals to restrict coverage of care through programs like Medicaid. The point is clear: this is coordinated, and it’s meant to isolate and punish vulnerable people. The Guardian+1
How you can help right now
SC Equality is fighting back—but we need you with us.
Take action: Send a message to your U.S. Senators urging them to OPPOSE this ban and reject the criminalization of healthcare.
Share this message: Post, text, or email this blog to friends and family—especially people who may be confused by misinformation.
Donate today: Attacks like this require rapid response, sustained advocacy, and long-term organizing. Your donation helps SC Equality stay ready—every time our community is targeted.
We’ve been here before: politicians try to divide us, isolate us, and make our communities feel powerless. But when we show up together—loudly, consistently, and with truth on our side—we win.