Welcome back to another Monday Roundup. I hope your week is off to a decent start—or at least that your coffee is strong enough to get you through whatever Monday has thrown your way so far.

We've got a lot to cover this week. There's some difficult news, as always, but there are also moments of resistance and resilience worth paying attention to. Staying informed isn't easy right now, but it's one of the most important things we can do for our communities and the people we serve.

So grab that coffee (or tea, or whatever gets you through), and let's get into what happened this week.

NEWS: the headlines you need to stay informed.

Major Victories This Week

Let's start with genuinely good news: anti-trans healthcare provisions have been stripped from the National Defense Authorization Act in a stunning reversal. A federal judge in Georgia has permanently blocked enforcement of SB 185, the state law banning gender-affirming care for incarcerated people.

US Federal Attacks and Resistance

The Department of Health and Human Services has altered Admiral Rachel Levine's official portrait to display her deadname, prompting sharp criticism from advocates who view it as intentional disrespect. (I wrote about Levine for Translash’s “Transcestors and Trailblazers” zine. Get your copy here!) The Trump DOJ is ending rape prevention protections for trans and intersex people in detention, removing crucial safeguards under the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden pushed back, urging hospitals to protect the privacy of LGBTQ+ patients amid Trump's "ideological crusade against transgender Americans." Missouri has banned social transition in schools, while the University of Texas implemented bathroom restrictions that force students into dangerous environments. Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes reached record highs in Los Angeles, underscoring the real-world violence that follows discriminatory rhetoric.

International Developments

Medical professionals in Aotearoa have filed for an emergency injunction to overturn the puberty blocker ban, arguing "these regulations are being enacted based on politics, not on clinical evidence." Alberta's physicians are resisting restrictions on transgender care as Canada imports anti-trans policy frameworks from the United States. 

Ireland has the worst transgender healthcare access in the EU, with four-year wait times for initial consultations. Italy's sex education bill cracking down on "gender ideology" has provoked fury among educators and LGBTQ+ advocates. On a positive note, Victoria, Australia banned deferrable intersex surgeries on infants, protecting children from unnecessary medical interventions.

Institutional and Community Responses

The University of Michigan's Senate Advisory Committee is urging Michigan Medicine to resume gender-affirming care after the hospital suspended services. Uncloseted Media examines how trans women in state prisons are being targeted amid policy rollbacks. Dr. Will Powers offers perspective on dealing with trolls in trans health conversations, addressing the challenge of maintaining productive discourse.

Rx RESIST: how you can make a difference

Help shape LGBTQ+ health equity: GLMA is running their annual community survey for health professionals, students, and advocates. Your feedback guides their programs, advocacy priorities, and membership offerings for the coming year. Complete the survey to get 20% off annual membership dues and be entered to win one of three all-inclusive Annual Conference packages.

Push back on institutional cowardice: Memorial Sloan Kettering suspended gender-affirming care for youth after federal threats. A redditor suggests leaving feedback letting them know their decision harms patients and sets a dangerous precedent for caving to political pressure over medical evidence.

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

• A coordinated campaign to drive trans people out of public life — Parker Molloy examines how a University of Oklahoma student's complaint against her transgender graduate instructor exemplifies the right's ongoing campaign to make trans people unemployable and erase them from public spaces.

• Trust is a vital sign for trans patients. It's not optional. — For transgender patients navigating healthcare systems, trust isn't a luxury—it's a vital sign that directly impacts health outcomes and care quality.

• Winter circulation sensitivity on estrogen: Myths and facts — Separating myths from facts about winter circulation sensitivity for people on estrogen hormone therapy.

• Two sets of chromosomes? — A video exploring the complexities of human chromosomal variation beyond the XX/XY binary.

• Forty years later, unequal impact of HIV persists — Forty years into the epidemic, HIV continues to disproportionately affect specific communities, revealing persistent health inequities.

• New York docuseries: Unfiltered HIV prevention — A New York docuseries takes an unfiltered look at HIV prevention and the ongoing challenge of stigma.

• Androgynous expression is redefining transition goals — More trans people are choosing to embrace fluidity rather than binary gender presentation, challenging traditional narratives about what a "successful" transition looks like.

• The Resistance Brief: December 5, 2025 — GLAD Law's analysis and predictions for LGBTQ+ legal challenges expected in 2026.

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LAST WEEK: published on Well Beings News

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Original Reporting

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