Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she is working “at the national level” to support gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Her comments came while touring the San Francisco VA Medical Center, where she also discussed threats to veterans’ services if House Republicans move forward with proposed budget cuts.
Speaking to reporters, Pelosi addressed pauses in access to gender-affirming care in California. She called the situation “really sad” and noted that a transgender pride flag hangs outside her office. Several colleagues also display the flag, she said, adding that many Republicans in Congress oppose medical transition for minors.
Pelosi tied her stance to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by officials from more than a dozen Democratic-led states. The suit challenges the Trump administration’s Jan. 28 executive order banning government support for sex change procedures and treatments for those under 19, along with memos directing federal prosecutors to investigate providers.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, names President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Justice Department as defendants. States joining the suit include California, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, among others.
