US Bishops Officially Ban Gender-Affirming Care at Catholic Hospitals Nationwide

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has formally prohibited gender-affirming care across its extensive network of Catholic hospitals. This landmark decision, made on November 12, 2025, during their Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, mandates that all Catholic healthcare facilities adhere to a strict interpretation of Catholic doctrine regarding gender identity, as reported by The 19th News.

This new directive makes explicit what was previously guidance, forbidding surgical, hormonal, and genetic interventions aimed at altering a person's sexual characteristics. The vote was overwhelmingly in favor, with 206 bishops supporting the measure against just eight dissenting votes, according to aleteia.

The move has drawn immediate and strong reactions, receiving praise from conservative groups who view it as upholding traditional moral teachings. Conversely, LGBTQ+ advocates and major medical organizations have voiced severe criticism, citing concerns over patient well-being and access to care, as noted by The Advocate.

Catholic health systems are a significant part of the U.S. healthcare landscape, operating more than 650 hospitals and 1,600 other health facilities, according to the Catholic Health Association (CHA). This means approximately one in six acute care hospitals in the country are affected by this ban, as highlighted by The 19th News.

The decision will particularly impact transgender individuals, especially in rural areas where Catholic hospitals may be the only available healthcare providers. Critics argue this formal ban could lead to reduced access to essential medical services for vulnerable populations, as reported by Metro Weekly.

While the Catholic Health Association stated that providers will continue to welcome transgender individuals and treat them with dignity, the new directives explicitly exclude gender-affirming medical interventions. This distinction underscores the church's theological stance on the "fundamental order of the human body," according to Catholic News Agency.

The USCCB's action formalizes a policy rooted in earlier doctrinal notes and recent Vatican declarations, solidifying the church's position on gender ideology within its healthcare institutions. This development signals a unified institutional stance across Catholic facilities nationwide, as described by QNews.

• Background and Historical Context: The formal ban builds upon a 2023 doctrinal note from the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine, titled "Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body," which first urged Catholic hospitals to avoid gender-affirming treatments. This earlier guidance stated that interventions aiming to transform sexual characteristics were "injurious to the true flourishing of the human person," according to the USCCB website. The Vatican's 2024 document, "Dignitas Infinita," further reinforced this stance by characterizing gender-affirming surgery as a "grave violation of human dignity," placing it on par with abortion and euthanasia, as reported by the Associated Press.

• Key Stakeholders and Their Positions: The USCCB and its supporters, including conservative groups, argue the ban upholds Catholic teaching on the human person as created male or female, emphasizing the "integrity of the human body" as stated by Catholic News Agency. In contrast, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like New Ways Ministry and DignityUSA have strongly condemned the decision. Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director of DignityUSA, stated that the ban "will cause tremendous harm to many individuals and families," according to Metro Weekly.

• Impact on Patient Access and Care: With Catholic health systems accounting for a significant portion of U.S. hospitals, the ban will severely limit access to gender-affirming care for many transgender individuals. In numerous rural communities, Catholic facilities are the sole providers of healthcare, meaning patients may have no alternative for these specific services, as highlighted by The 19th News. Healthcare experts warn this could lead to reduced access not only to transition-related care but also to broader medical services if patients fear discrimination, according to a report by Rough Draft Atlanta.

• Medical and Ethical Debates: Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization, generally recognize gender-affirming care as evidence-based and medically necessary for both adults and minors, as noted by The Advocate. However, the USCCB's directives prioritize theological principles, asserting that interventions altering sexual characteristics do not respect the "fundamental order of the human body," according to the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine.

• Related Developments and Broader Context: The USCCB's decision comes amidst a broader national conversation and political climate regarding gender-affirming care. For instance, the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for minors, a decision that has been seen as setting a precedent for similar restrictions, as reported by CBS News. Furthermore, the Trump administration has taken steps to limit gender-affirming care, including considering blocking Medicaid and Medicare funding for hospitals providing such care to minors, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.

• Criticism from LGBTQ+ Catholic Organizations: LGBTQ+ Catholic leaders have voiced profound disappointment, arguing that the bishops failed to consult transgender individuals who have found gender-affirming care life-enhancing. Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry stated that the new directives "are neither ethical nor religious" and "will harm, not benefit transgender people," as reported by GO Magazine. DignityUSA also asserted that the ban violates fundamental principles of Catholicism by denying care that can alleviate suffering.

• Implications for Healthcare Providers: The new directives place medical providers within Catholic hospitals in a difficult position, caught between their professional obligations to patients and the church's edicts. While the Catholic Health Association affirmed that transgender patients will be treated with dignity and respect, the explicit prohibition on gender-affirming interventions creates a clear boundary for what care can be offered, as stated by Sister Mary Haddad, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, in The Columbian.