Urge California to Fund Life-saving LGBTQ+ Healthcare at Risk of Federal Defunding
Call your State Senator.
Call ONE of the Assemblymembers. Note: only one of these Assemblymembers represents you. Find out which one here.
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Call Script
Hello! My name is ______ and I’m calling from [ZIP code]. I’m calling to ask [Assemblymember/State Senator] to support the appropriation of $26M in the state budget for gender affirming care. It’s very important to me that California step up to protect healthcare that is under attack federally when we have already seen local hospitals and healthcare systems cut critical, lifesaving care.
Context
In triage, we protect the most vulnerable. Transgender people are among the most vulnerable at this time, and crucial forms of their medically necessary healthcare are at risk. Though RFK Jr’s harmful “declaration” was vacated by a federal judge for exceeding authority, there are still proposed federal rules in the wings that would take all federal dollars (Medicaid, Medicare) away from medically necessary care for trans people, including youth. These federal rules have already gone through the required public comment period and could go into effect at any time.
We have already seen multiple healthcare systems right here in the Bay Area cut care just because of threats (complying in advance). These decisions belong to patients and their doctors, not the federal government. California must step up and fund this care. $26M is a modest sum compared to the overall state budget ($349 billion) and will give providers incentive to keep offering critical services.
Background
It’s no secret that the Trump administration and red states are attacking transgender people and their access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness at every possible turn. Chase Strangio, ACLU lawyer, said it best: “I don’t like to say trans people being targeted is a ‘distraction’ because it has very serious consequences. But I do think it’s important for people to look at when it is deployed by this administration.” It’s deployed when they start to get massive backlash for their egregious policies, corruption and rights violations. They’re using rights violations to distract from rights violations.
Attacks on trans people are attempts to dictate who is allowed to exist in public and participate in activities that bring joy, meaning and togetherness. Every action is also a trial balloon to see how many rights they can take away without significant backlash. We are the backlash.
What We Can Do to Fight Back
California and other blue states have a critically important role. We should strive to be an oasis for trans people, including those who arrive here fleeing persecution in red states, and show the nation how it’s done. Trans people are talented and loved. We must continue passing legislation to support trans people, fund their healthcare, fund services that support them, improve legal protections, and hold institutions accountable when they try to capitulate (as Attorney General Bonta is doing). You cannot come for one of us without coming for all of us.
In the immediate term: Call your state legislators and tell them you want them to support the allocation of $26M for gender affirming care. Call Mayor Lurie and the Board of Supervisors to demand a city budget that funds services for transgender people.
In the medium term: Call your state legislators in support of Equality California’s suite of 2026 state legislation. At all levels, support candidates who have a spine where standing up for trans people is concerned (a good indicator of integrity in other areas! Swalwell skipped an important vote on anti-trans legislation and then look what we learned about him!).
Since trans people are less than 1% of the population, they need numbers on their side. We need to be calling our local, state and federal representatives, telling them it’s very important to us that they materially stand up for transgender people.
References
https://www.eqca.org/26-trans-care-budget-ask/
https://transequality.org/resources/proposed-rules-threaten-federal-funding-trans-youth-care
