U.S. bishops officially ban gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals
Summary
U.S. Catholic bishops voted to formally ban gender-affirming care at Catholic-affiliated hospitals by adopting revised ethical and religious Directives. The updated directives prohibit "surgical or chemical" interventions aimed at changing a person’s sex characteristics. The bishops approved the revisions at their plenary assembly, and the new policy will guide how Catholic hospitals and providers respond to requests for gender-affirming medical care. Each bishop will be responsible for implementing the policy for their dioceses. Catholic leaders emphasized that the care of all patients should be delivered with dignity and respect, even as the ban takes effect. On the same day, progressive religious leaders issued a statement in support of transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people.
Relevance
This article documents a formal decision by Catholic bishops to making explicit he prohibition of gender-affirming care within Catholic hospitals in the United States . See Here for a report released in October of 2024 that reports more than 150 Catholic hospitals providing gender-affirming care which sparked heavy criticism.