NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk teen who identifies as non-binary and was receiving puberty blockers at Virginia Commonwealth University will lose access to treatment as state hospitals comply with President Trump's executive order banning it for children under 19.
Stephanie Stewart says her 13-year-old child had been on the treatments, and now they have to find a new hospital to administer their care.
"Because of my child's age of 13, treatment for gender dysphoria is puberty blockers and it's basically to give them more time to decide in a few years to transition, if they do," Stewart told News 3's Leondra Head. "Or if they decide later that they don't fully want to transition, then they don't have to."
Watch related: CHKD suspends gender-affirming care following Trump executive order
But she says her child will no longer be prescribed the medicine after President Trump signed an executive order.
The order, dated Jan. 28, indicates it aims to protect "children from chemical and surgical mutilation."
"Due to policy, we can no longer receive any of the care that we were continuing to receive," Stewart said. "It has really felt like a nightmare." Now she's concerned about her child's health.
Watch: Trump's executive orders facing new lawsuits
VCU and the University of Virginia Hospital are both complying with Trump's order, which was reinforced in a letter sent to those institutions by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
The Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) also announced Monday it's suspendinghormone therapy and puberty blockers for gender-affirming care, in compliance with the order.
And in the face of these changes, the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk is offering counseling and services to LGBT youth.
Watch: Supreme Court unmoved by arguments to overturn puberty blocker ban
CEO Stacie Walls is concerned about how the executive order and response from medical institutions will impact the mental health of LGBT youth.
"Without gender affirming care, transgender youth and non-binary youth are at a 50 percent risk of being considered suicidal," Walls said.
While CHKD is only suspending gender-affirming medication, both VCU and UVA are suspending its gender-affirming medication and surgical procedures.
WTKR's sister station in Richmond CBS 6 obtained a copy of Miyares' letter, sent to UVA and VCU on Thursday, Jan. 30.
Health
Jason Miyares letter 'Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation'
"As the Executive Order takes effect immediately, I write to provide this prompt legal advice to enable the Commonwealth—including its agencies—to protect itself from significant legal risk and substantial financial exposure," the letter reads in part. "Given the plain terms of this Executive Order, the chemical and surgical mutilation of children must end immediately. Any institution that continues to engage in such mutilation unacceptably and unjustifiably endangers not only itself and the Commonwealth, but also the vulnerable children of this Commonwealth."
