Dear President Hausmann, Dr. Brumbaugh, Mr. Zaslow, and Ms. Stern:
On behalf of the undersigned individual community members, organizations, and One Colorado, we write to you with requests regarding your decision to end gender-affirming surgical program for young adults. Specifically, our community is asking for increased transparency around this decision and your commitment to serving the community moving forward, and a reinstatement of your gender-affirming surgical program.
We know that The TRUE Center for Gender Diversity is the most sought after center of Children's Hospital. After all, its waiting list of 1,800 exceeds all other waiting lists. We are grateful for the existing and ongoing work that Children's Hospital and the TRUE Center for Gender Diversity continue to provide for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. Gender-affirming care is necessary, life-saving medical care. However, we cannot support the decision to abandon gender-affirming surgery services for young adults. We are all too aware of this decision's impact on the greater transgender and gender diverse community in Colorado as well as the national precedent this sets.We have serious concerns about our community's ability to access surgical services in a timely, cost effective manner.
We are requesting that Children's Hospital Colorado provide the following:
- A transparent explanation of why the decision was made to discontinue gender-affirming surgeries for transgender young adults and how it allows Children's Hospital to “focus resources” on pediatric gender-affirming care.
- Visible allyship in Children's commitment to serving the transgender and gender expansive community. We recommend viewing Boston Children's Hospital's webpage for their gender-affirming care program.
- Reinstate your gender-affirming surgical program.
- IF you will not reinstate your gender-affirming surgical program, then we are asking for implementation of an executive team accountability plan to reinvest funding historically allocated to gender-affirming surgery for young adults back into The TRUE Center programming and services.
We look forward to your public response to your community by November 27th, 2023.
It is imperative that the above responses are considered in collaboration with Children's gender-affirming healthcare providers, community members, and experts. However, we strongly advise that the burden of response not fall exclusively on those individuals, and is accomplished in partnership with the hospital's executive leadership.
When access to health care is pushed out of reach, the burden falls hardest on people who already face systemic barriers rooted in transphobia, homophobia, racism, and discrimination. The impact is even more apparent for youth and young adults. Every Coloradan deserves to live a life where they can make their own choices and access the care they need without fear, shame, or institutional obstacles. Health care is a right, not a privilege.
We have historically known you to be a leader in care for vulnerable communities and expect Children's Hospital to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ Coloradans to ensure their continued access to life-saving gender-affirming care. This is the time for Children's to adhere to best medical practice driven by research and sanctioned by leading health authorities. One Colorado is committed to supporting Children's Hospital and all gender-affirming care providers across the state by continuing advocacy efforts for supportive policy and holding space for a coalition of gender-affirming care providers. We appreciate the time to discuss opportunities to serve transgender and gender diverse youth and young adults with Children's Hospital and look forward to continued partnership.
Regards,
Nadine Bridges, Executive Director, for One Colorado
Alex Floyd, Health Equity Director, for One Colorado