Story perspectives

Judge Strikes Down HHS Funding Cut for Gender-Affirming Care

4/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai struck down Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2025 declaration that cut funding for providers offering gender-affirming care to minors.
The ruling deemed the declaration unlawful, finding it exceeded HHS authority and violated federal rulemaking requirements.
The decision restores access to gender-affirming care in the plaintiff states, including Oregon, California, and New York, and bars HHS from enforcing similar policies.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Virginia declared the Virginia Military Institute's male-only admissions policy unconstitutional, reinforcing the Equal Protection Clause. This precedent resonates today as Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai's recent decision invalidated HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, highlighting ongoing legal challenges surrounding gender rights and healthcare access in the United States.

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Story summary

U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai struck down Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2025 declaration that cut funding for providers offering gender-affirming care to minors.
The ruling deemed the declaration unlawful, finding it exceeded HHS authority and violated federal rulemaking requirements.
The decision restores access to gender-affirming care in the plaintiff states, including Oregon, California, and New York, and bars HHS from enforcing similar policies.

1 / 2