This week brought revelations about the HHS report's authors—anti-trans activists and billionaire-funded ideologues masquerading as experts—while the UK has revealed their plans to experiment on trans youth.

Let's get into it.

NEWS: the headlines you need to stay informed.

Courts Push Back on DOJ Overreach

A federal judge in Philadelphia quashed Trump Justice Department subpoenas seeking private medical records of transgender children at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, affirming patient privacy rights and marking a significant win for healthcare privacy protections. Multiple judges have now criticized the DOJ's methods, expressing concerns that these invasive subpoenas represent an aggressive attack on transgender healthcare.

A Washington judge upheld QueerDoc's fight against a similar subpoena, finding no justification for investigating the sliding-scale telehealth clinic. In other legal news, families of two transgender teens filed a lawsuit challenging Kansas's ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Organizations Stand Firm in Support

The American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics issued a joint statement rejecting claims that gender-affirming care constitutes negligence or malpractice and emphasizing their commitment to evidence-based care. In Michigan, the State Medical Society severed ties with Great Lakes Learning after discovering the organization was promoting anti-trans continuing health education.

LGBTQ Catholic leaders are blasting the US Conference of Catholic Bishops for banning gender-affirming care in Catholic hospitals through newly revised directives created without consulting transgender people or contemporary medical research.

Contentious Research

The Department of Health and Human Services finally named the authors of its controversial gender dysphoria report, revealing primarily anti-trans activists with ties to hate groups, with half not even holding medical degrees. The Human Rights Campaign called out the report as lacking scientific rigor and contradicting the consensus among major medical organizations.

Two major clinical studies on puberty blockers are launching in the UK, with the Pathway trial set to recruit 226 children aged 10-15 to assess risks and benefits, beginning in January after a ban on new prescriptions for under-18s. Critics have raised concerns about the extensive testing requirements—participants face over 50 assessments and multiple intrusive examinations that some clinicians describe as potentially traumatic barriers to care.

Other Global Developments

In Canada, an Alberta legislature member compared transgender surgeries to livestock castration during debate on a bill restricting gender reassignment surgeries for minors. The province's anti-trans legislation uses the "notwithstanding clause" to bypass Charter rights, prohibiting physicians from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to minors.

New Zealand's government banned new prescriptions of puberty blockers for transgender youth, citing pressure from its far-right coalition partner. Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has vowed to sign a repressive anti-LGBTQ bill that threatens three years in prison for anyone identifying as LGBTQ.

Meanwhile, a leaked draft from the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission proposes banning transgender individuals from certain public spaces based on their appearance.

Public Health Updates

A decade of progress on HIV prevention and treatment is under threat as the Trump administration implements severe budget cuts to federal HIV programs. Mpox cases in New York City rose significantly in October, with 63 cases reported—most among unvaccinated individuals or those who haven't completed the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series. LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center has appointed notoriously anti-trans Dr. Robert Malone as an adjunct professor, raising concerns about misinformation's impact on public health.

Rx RESIST: how you can make a difference

If you're supporting patients considering relocation to sanctuary states, several organizations offer critical resources. The Transcend Fund and Project Open Arms provide relocation aid, financial assistance, and community support to trans people fleeing hostile legislation. InReach, a tech nonprofit, maintains a searchable platform for finding LGBTQ+ resources and affirming care providers across the country.

Alberta residents can take action against Premier Danielle Smith's anti-trans policies at Stop-Smith.ca. The campaign pushes back against legislation that imposes ideological beliefs on healthcare. The site provides tools for advocacy and organizing collective resistance.

Advocate for government action to protect trans activists and movement leaders. The 2025 Trans Murder Monitoring report reveals a disturbing new trend: 14% of trans murder victims are now activists and leaders, indicating systematic targeting.

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

• How Anne Healthcare Exposed Bigger Trans Health Failures - When streamer F1NN5TER revealed his role in building Anne Healthcare, the reaction highlighted growing desperation for care, a fractured online community, and a public system failing trans people.

• How the right uses "gender ideology" to blame trans people for everything - Mother Jones examines how right-wing movements weaponize the term "gender ideology" to target trans individuals and rights.

• Lies, Damned Lies, and Transgender Statistics - Julia Serano critiques the flaws in the "social contagion" hypothesis and dissects a report by Eric Kaufmann that inaccurately suggests a decline in trans identification.

• Puberty blockers: why politicians overriding doctors sets a dangerous precedent - New Zealand's ban on puberty blockers for gender-affirming care is dangerous political interference in medicine.

• The Great Detransition Panic Of 2025 - What Is Actually True - Trans Vitae breaks down the real numbers behind detransition, examines why people pause or stop care, and exposes how activists distort statistics.

• The Magic Pill that Makes You Cis - Sonja Black explores the provocative question of whether individuals would take a "magic pill" to feel comfortable in their birth-assigned gender.

• Trans Day of Remembrance in an era of political violence - TransLash podcast honors trans people lost to violence with changemaker Kylar Broadus, the first out transgender American to testify before the US Senate.

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LAST WEEK: published on Well Beings News

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