Vanderbilt's transgender health clinic pauses gender-affirming surgery for minors amid GOP pressure


Amid intense pressure from Republicans, the Vanderbilt University Medical Center's transgender clinic has decided to suspend all gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
Dr. C. Wright Pinson, an executive at the Nashville, Tennessee, health center, sent a letter to Republican lawmakers in the state confirming they would be "pausing" gender-affirming procedures in order to "review recommendations."
In a statement sent to CNN, Vanderbilt confirmed the letter was real, but would not elaborate on the new policy.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Gender-affirming surgeries are defined by the Cleveland Clinic as "procedures that help people transition to their self-identified gender," and Vanderbilt's decision comes despite a large majority of the medical community, including the American Medical Association, concluding that gender-affirming surgeries are safe, effective, and can help children with gender dysmorphia.
The decision to halt gender-affirming surgeries comes under a wave of criticism over the procedures, mostly from Republican politicians in GOP-led states such as Tennessee. The push for Vanderbilt to change its policy was led by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R), who told The Tennessean that the university's clinic raised "serious moral, ethical, and legal concerns," and added that their practices should be investigated.
As part of the anti-gender-affirming push, the state legislature also passed a 2021 law banning hormone therapy for children.
Vanderbilt's decision was heavily criticized by the medical and legal community, including the AMA and the ACLU. The latter said in a statement, "Parents, patients, and medical professionals, not politicians, should decide what medical care is in the best interest of any particular young person."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
The armed clan allied with Israel in Gaza
Under the Radar Self-styled 'Popular Forces' has been denounced by its Bedouin tribe and Hamas for 'collaborating' with Israel
-
Magazine solutions - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
-
Magazine printables - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.