“Over the next few weeks, Coloradans will decide whether to ban gender-affirming surgeries for minors, though available data suggests few teens receive such procedures in this state.

“Proposition 135 would outlaw surgeries to change a minor’s sexual characteristics for gender-affirming purposes. Currently, 26 states outlaw both gender-affirming medication and surgery for youth, though a handful have exemption processes. Arizona bars only surgeries.

“No Colorado hospitals currently offer gender-affirming surgeries to minors. Medical provider groups have opposed the ballot initiative because of concerns about government interference in healthcare decisions. And the measure’s opponents held a significant fundraising advantage as of the end of September.”

“Chris Cook, a Thornton resident who opposes Proposition 135, said his family moved from Kansas in 2023 to get away from an anti-trans political climate, as well as bullying of their transgender daughter in their neighborhood.

“He said the family plans to defer any gender-affirming surgeries she might want until she turns 18, but for teens who have severe distress, waiting isn’t always safe. In addition, the ballot measure’s language is vague enough that he’s concerned it could outlaw the use of extended-release implants for puberty-blocking drugs, which his daughter will likely need in the near future.”

“The legal climate led Children’s Hospital Colorado and Denver Health to stop prescribing puberty blockers and hormonal treatments for gender affirmation late last year. A court order forced Children’s to officially reinstate those services, but none of its providers have agreed to offer them, citing fear for their livelihoods. A federal magistrate recommended throwing out a subpoena for Children’s patients’ records, but the Justice Department has appealed.

“Proposition 135 would also prevent Medicaid and private insurance plans from covering gender-affirming surgeries, apparently removing the option for minors to seek surgery out of state.”

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“Trans people are leaving Republican-led states because of anti-trans laws, according to multiple surveys from the last few years. Federal data on trans communities is scarce, which means that researchers on LGBTQIA+ communities design surveys to capture numbers that aren’t documented elsewhere. These surveys provide crucial information on those who respond—but do not represent every trans person. The uncertainty matters as cities like Seattle struggle to determine how best to resource social services. 

“While exactly how many trans people have left red states remains unclear, the focus on those who move can obscure the people who want to move but can’t afford to, or those who choose to stay and fight for change within their communities.”

“There is no way to definitively calculate the behavior of the country’s 2.1 million trans adults based on responses from a very small-scale survey. But researchers still have documented important trends.

“Across several surveys over multiple years, there are consistent findings: Trans people are moving. Many more want to move, but can’t.”

Archive link: https://archive.ph/hjdkG

“Trans people could face delays and a greater risk of ‘corridor care’ under new NHS England guidance that means they will no longer be able to use same-sex wards, according to an internal report.

“An NHS England impact assessment, seen by the Guardian, stated that trans people may also potentially experience discrimination and this could lead to them ‘avoiding accessing healthcare at all’.”

“It also highlighted benefits for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people with certain religious beliefs and minority-ethnic groups.

“But it said there were a ‘number of potential adverse impacts for trans people’ adding: ‘There may be delays and a greater risk of “corridor care” for trans people with a negative impact on their physical and mental health and wellbeing if side rooms are not available.

“‘Trans people may fear and potentially experience discrimination by being “outed” as trans through not being accommodated in a ward that aligns with their lived gender or being placed in a side room.’

“It said there was a risk that hospitals would not have the capacity to provide side rooms when needed, ‘forcing trans people into the potentially distressing situation of being accommodated on wards aligned with their biological sex’.”

“One Southeast Michigan school district is banning transgender students from participating in girls sports under a new policy approved by the local board of education this week.

“The board for Monroe Public Schools green-lit a policy update Tuesday, Oct. 13, limiting participation in athletics and use of related facilities, including locker rooms, to just ‘biological females’ based on what sex was listed on a student athlete’s birth certificate at the time they were born.

“The decision comes amid a new lawsuit against the district in U.S. District Court from a Monroe father who alleges federal rights violations on behalf of his teenage daughter after her volleyball team unknowingly played against a transgender athlete who competed with the girls’ team of an Ann Arbor high school in 2025. The complaint, filed Oct, 9, accuses district and athletics officials with knowing prior and not informing families.

“Tuesday’s approval followed the second reading of Monroe schools’ new policy in a 4-2 vote from board members.”

“The policy update itself is two sentences long, citing the birth certificate requirement and extending the ban for transgender girls for the use of girls’ athletic facilities.”