Bishops in the United States Officially Ban Gender Affirming Care in Catholic Hospitals

Earlier this month, United States Catholic bishops made the decision to ban gender- affirming care in Catholic based hospitals.

On November 11, 2025, in the morning hours in Baltimore, the United States Fall Conference of Catholic Bishops  Plenary Assembly commenced, bringing together the full body of U.S. bishops for a scheduled three-day meeting focused on deliberate prayer, collegial dialogue, and ecclesial governance.

The gathering provided an opportunity for the bishops to unify their efforts on pressing matters such as immigration policy, health care ethics, and liturgical guidance. The assembly’s timing underscored the USCCB’s intent to set strategic priorities for the coming year, foster coordinated pastoral initiatives, and respond to ongoing spiritual and civic responsibilities of the Church in the United States. This also included the church’s stand on offering gender-affirming care for transgender individuals in Catholic based hospitals. 

While many Catholic facilities had already refrained from offering these services, the formal adoption of their ethical and religious directives now transforms what was previously a disproportionate practice into a unified institutional stance across their facilities. This decision is one that will impact millions of patients, including persons for whom Catholic hospitals are the only accessible source of care.

According to the Catholic Health Association, Catholic hospitals treat more than one in seven patients in the United States. For some communities, Catholic hospitals are the only source of healthcare. This reality highlights the fact that the bishops’ decision will have disastrous consequences for transgender individuals across the nation. The ban will prohibit surgical, hormonal, and other medical interventions intended to support a patient’s transition. The new directives will give bishops autonomy over the mandates in their dioceses.

The bishops specified in the 2023 doctrinal note that “Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures.” Transforming what might be seen as a theological statement into a gatekeeping mechanism with the potential to affect emergency care, continuity of treatment, and patient safety.

Supporters of the ban argue that it reflects the Church’s longstanding teaching on sex and human nature. Bishop Robert Barron, one of the most visible voices during discussions, framed the policy as a defense against “gender ideology,” positioning the move as a reaffirmation of Catholic ideology rather than a response to modern political pressures.

However, the decision arrives at a moment when many religious communities in the United States are expanding their support for transgender members.

Reactions within other Catholic circles also show that there are persons who are against the new ban.  Groups such as New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, criticized the decision as pastorally harmful and out of step with the lived experiences of transgender believers. Advocates argue that for many trans Catholics, transition-related care is not merely a medical choice but an essential component of mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

In a statement provided by some religious leaders opposing the ban, they stated that “During a time when our country is placing their lives under increasingly serious threat, there is a disgraceful misconception that all people of faith do not affirm the full spectrum of gender – a great many of us do. Let it be known instead that our beloveds are created in the image of God – Holy and whole.”

Healthcare experts warn that the practical implications of the ban may be more far-reaching than the bishops acknowledge. In regions where Catholic hospitals dominate, patients may face reduced access not only to transition-related care but to broader medical services if they fear discrimination or persecution. The policy may also create uncertainty for providers navigating emergencies, pregnancy care for transgender patients, or the treatment of complications related to prior gender-affirming interventions.

Ultimately, the bishops’ decision reflects a collision between religious authority and evolving medical standards, which is a contradiction likely to shape patient outcomes and legal challenges in the coming years. As debates over healthcare access intensify nationwide, this move by one of the country’s largest healthcare networks underscores how profoundly institutional choices can shape the landscape of care, especially for minorities like the trans community.