Welcome back to Well Beings News for the Monday Roundup—your weekly dispatch of queer and trans health news, research, and resources, curated for the healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and wellness practitioners working on the front lines of affirming care.

I started this newsletter because healthcare for LGBTQ+ people is under coordinated political attack, and providers need infrastructure that serves them directly—evidence-based reporting that cuts through misinformation, research that identifies real care gaps, and resources that meet you where you actually are. Every week, I synthesize policy shifts, clinical developments, and the latest research so you can show up for your patients with the information you need to advocate effectively and deliver affirming care.

This work exists because you deserve better than mainstream coverage that treats our communities as political debates rather than people deserving competent, compassionate healthcare. Whether you're in a clinic, a therapy office, a research lab, or somewhere in between, I'm building what we need: journalism with a sharp eye on justice, access, and evidence.

This is your last chance reminder for the incredible Black Friday / Indie Media Monday deals!

Let's dive into this week's news.

NEWS: the headlines you need to stay informed.

Leading with some good news, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has not complied with a federal subpoena seeking sensitive records about transgender patients, which the hospital argues protects patient privacy. Advocacy groups assert the subpoenas are part of an intimidation tactic against gender-affirming care for minors. This judge is on their side.

Unfortunately, other institutions aren’t so dedicated to their values. The deal struck between Northwestern University (and Northwestern Medicine) has revealed that not only did they agree to end gender-affirming care for anyone under 19, but also to “revise all policies, protocols, and public-facing materials” to reflect the federal government’s position on gender-affirming care.

Amid negotiations over appropriations bills, Republicans are pushing for a provision that would strip transgender health care from ACA subsidy plans, threatening care for hundreds of thousands, even millions of people. Insurance companies seem to have ramped up their denials for access to affirming care in Hawai’i, an ongoing tactic emboldened by Trump’s current public stance on the issue.

Trans people and people of color have also been quietly removed from the national caregiving plan, prompting concerns about erasing these communities from federal support frameworks, in which underserved populations face greater challenges in caregiving and health outcomes. And bathroom ban bills continue to spread across the US, while active bathroom bans impact the health and wellbeing of gender-nonconforming people of all kinds.

Anatomy of an Anti-Trans Movement

For the New York Review of Books, Paisley Currah offers a broad longform look at “The Anti-Trans Playbook” and over at Uncloseted Media, Emma Paidra how Alberta’s government is translating that playbook work for an anti-trans Canadian audience. As a result, patient advocates in the Northwest Territories are arguing for an end to gender-affirming medical referrals to the province.

David Forbes at the Trans News Network talks about the consequences of the Catholic ban on trans-affirming care, illuminating a history of animosity towards trans people, and exploring the potentially dangerous consequences of medical discrimination. As an illustration of what that looks like behind the scenes, a trans woman tells the New York Times about turning on an audio recorder before an oncological surgery to remove a part of her lung, hoping to be better informed about her disease and treatment. Only several weeks later, listening to it during her recovery, she instead heard her medical team casually conversing about her genitals, offering their opinions about the general existence of transgender people, and discussing changing the sex listed in her medical file to male—something they apparently did during her time in the hospital.

Trump’s White House refused to recognize World Aids Day for the first time this millennia, a concerning sign as funding for HIV prevention and treatment is withdrawn, research interrupted and defunded, amidst what appears to be a rise in infection rates in New York City. A UNAID report warns that globally, US funding cuts could lead to millions of new infections.

Commonwealth Kids in the Crosshairs

In the UK, controversy continues around the NHS-commissioned puberty blocker trial, with mounting criticism from multiple directions. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has demanded an immediate end to the study, claiming "no child is born in the wrong body"—echoing a familiar pattern where critics simultaneously denounce puberty blockers as "experimental" while opposing the very research that would establish evidence. 

Dr. Aidan Kelly, director of Gender Plus (the UK's only regulated trans healthcare provider seeing patients under 18), argues the trial design itself is fundamentally flawed, suggesting it was "tainted by a misconception about the drug's purpose as a standalone intervention" rather than one component of comprehensive care. The political battles over transgender healthcare appear to be impacting public attitudes: a new Ipsos survey reveals Britain is now the least supportive G7 country on trans rights, a stark reversal for a nation that once led on LGBTQ+ equality.

A similar government-ordered puberty blocker report out of Queensland organized in the wake of the Crisafulli government's ban for transgender adolescents, might never reach the public despite being “a really important part” of the cabinet’s future decision on permanently banning their use for treating transgender youth.

Rx RESIST: how you can make a difference

Let patients or clients know about the RADIANT project at SDSU, focused on queer and trans health and wellness in relationships. There are several other studies active at the Sexual Health Equality Lab, check them all out!

MIXED MEDIA: good reads, podcasts, documentaries, and more

• This Canadian researcher is starting over: Joanna Harper, a Canadian researcher specializing in trans athletes, has returned to Canada after her study on the impact of hormone therapy on trans youth's performance lost funding in the U.S. due to political pressures.

• "I Changed My Mind": PFLAG National has launched a new five-episode series directed by Brooke Sebold, exploring personal stories of transformation from people who came to be accepting of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences, focusing on intersectional narratives across various identities.

• Anjali Rimi on Supporting Transgender Immigrants: Anjali Rimi, a transgender immigrant and co-founder of Parivar Bay Area, speaks at Transgender Immigrants Day in San Francisco, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by transgender immigrants, especially in light of ICE raids.

• Colorado family's move to New Zealand for transgender care upended by new policy: A Colorado family’s relocation to New Zealand for transgender care has been disrupted by a new health policy, as the New Zealand health ministry determined there is insufficient evidence on the benefits and risks of puberty blockers.

• An investigation into NHS England's ICB's guidance: Looking at the impact of the Cass Review on trans healthcare within the NHS, highlighting increased barriers and inconsistencies, this investigation reveals the negative new implications of new guidance from the Royal College of GPs. Despite some Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) being unhelpful or hostile, there are emerging examples of supportive practices such as informed consent pathways in Somerset, indicating that improved access to care for trans individuals is possible.

• How life is changing for trans Americans under the Trump administration: A conversation about the overall impact of the Trump administration’s policies and public statements about transgender rights and access to medical treatment.

• Six lies transphobes tell about puberty blockers - debunked: A deep dive into several popular anti-trans talking points, highlighting existing research and making a strong argument against delaying treatment when supportive evidence already exists.

• Transgender children are being weaponised: Rachel Saunders advocates for the recognition of trans children's self-knowledge and bodily autonomy, stressing that denying their identities causes harm and perpetuates cycles of abuse.

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