Hundreds protested outside NYU Langone after the hospital agreed to pay $8.5 million and bar minors from its gender‑affirming programs, prompting calls for the restoration of youth care. Demonstrators and advocates argue hospitals could have challenged Justice Department actions in court rather than settling. Major medical groups continue to endorse gender‑affirming care for minors, and advocacy groups say they will keep protesting until services are reinstated.
‘Honor Your Oath’: Hundreds Protest NYU Langone Over Settlement That Bars Youth From Gender‑Affirming Care
A woman appears to be overcome with emotion, looking upward in the crowd of a protest.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside NYU Langone Health's main Manhattan campus to protest the hospital's recent settlement with the Trump administration that will bar minors from accessing gender‑affirming services and requires the hospital to pay $8.5 million to the federal government.
Protest, Demands and Background
NYU Langone had already suspended services for transgender youth in February while the Justice Department investigated its program. The December threat from the federal government to revoke funding for hospitals that provide gender‑affirming care to minors touched off a wave of preemptive program suspensions and closures nationwide. The Department of Justice has sought sensitive records related to clinicians and patients in these programs, although courts across the country have frequently intervened to block federal access to those private records.
A crowd of people marches with colorful pro-trans rights signs.
Voices at the Rally
Organized by the Gender Liberation Movement and ACT UP New York, the rally demanded that NYU Langone, Mount Sinai Health System and NewYork‑Presbyterian restore and protect care for transgender youth. Protesters carried a long banner reading 'Honor your oath' — invoking the Hippocratic principle of doing no harm — and some demonstrators staged a public display by self‑administering hormone injections to highlight the safety and necessity of the treatment.
Parents and advocates said the NYU Langone settlement is devastating for families who relied on the hospital's services. Christen Clifford, a parent of two transgender children who previously received care at NYU Langone, described the programs as 'smooth' and 'kind' and said it is devastating that other families no longer have that access. Eliel Cruz, deputy director of the Gender Liberation Movement, criticized hospitals for settling instead of fighting the federal actions in court, calling the settlements a capitulation to 'bullying' tactics meant to avoid investigations and legal costs.
A group of protesters hold up a long banner that reads "Honor Your Oath."
Institutional Responses and Medical Consensus
Media representatives for NYU Langone and Mount Sinai did not respond to requests for comment. A NewYork‑Presbyterian spokesperson said the hospital will 'comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations' while serving patients 'in a compassionate and responsible way.' Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to endorse gender‑affirming care for minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and gender‑affirming care remains legal in New York State despite heightened federal scrutiny.
Wider Impact
Mount Sinai likewise reached a settlement with the Justice Department and has ended services for minors, and NewYork‑Presbyterian removed references to youth services from its website. Advocacy groups have picketed hospitals and government properties and say they will continue demonstrations until care is restored. The rally drew public figures including actor Elliot Page, Democratic congressional nominee Claire Valdez, and New York City Council members Harvey Epstein and Carlina Rivera (Carl Wilson was listed in some reports), who voiced support for expanding, not rolling back, transgender healthcare access.
A person with red hair and a blue face mask pulls up their shirt and pokes a needle into the skin of their stomach.
Kei Williams, executive director of the NEW Pride Agenda, said institutions have provided little direct explanation to the public about the settlements and program changes.
The demonstrators and advocacy organizations framed the issue as one of medical ethics, patient safety and civil rights, arguing hospitals should resist federal pressure and protect access to life‑affirming care for transgender youth.
Editor's note: This article was updated to include a comment from NewYork‑Presbyterian.
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