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Vanderbilt Ends Gender-Affirming Surgeries Amid Backlash

2/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Vanderbilt University Medical Center will stop providing gender-affirming surgical care for transgender adults due to operational limitations.
Vanderbilt was the sole hospital in Tennessee offering gender-affirming surgeries, and the decision drew backlash from Tennessee's transgender community.
The hospital will continue nonsurgical gender-affirming care for adults over 19.
In 2023, Tennessee banned gender-affirming care for minors, a law upheld by the Supreme Court, and Vanderbilt's decision signals a broader trend.

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Story summary

Vanderbilt University Medical Center will stop providing gender-affirming surgical care for transgender adults due to operational limitations.
Vanderbilt was the sole hospital in Tennessee offering gender-affirming surgeries, and the decision drew backlash from Tennessee's transgender community.
The hospital will continue nonsurgical gender-affirming care for adults over 19.
In 2023, Tennessee banned gender-affirming care for minors, a law upheld by the Supreme Court, and Vanderbilt's decision signals a broader trend.