More than half of transgender adolescents (ages 13-17) in the United States – roughly 382,800 individuals – are directly affected by state laws limiting their access to gender-affirming care, school facilities, and even respectful pronoun usage. This is according to a new report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, which highlights a dramatic increase in legislative hostility towards transgender youth since 2021.
Escalating Legal Restrictions: The situation has worsened rapidly: 24 states passed or expanded restrictive legislation in 2025 alone. These laws vary but commonly include bans on gender-affirming healthcare, restrictions on participation in school sports, limitations on bathroom access, and prohibitions against using a student’s preferred pronouns in schools.
Geographic Disparities: Where a transgender youth lives now determines their legal rights and access to care to an unprecedented degree. Nearly 40% live in states with “shield laws” – 17 states plus Washington, D.C. – which protect their access to gender-affirming care. Conversely, 95% of transgender youth in the South and 51% in the Midwest reside in states with at least one restrictive law. The West and Northeast offer greater protection, with 83% and 74% respectively living under shield laws.
The Human Cost: Restricting access to gender-affirming care has severe consequences, as documented by Human Rights Watch. These include increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among transgender youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association both endorse gender-affirming care as medically necessary for those experiencing gender dysphoria.
Political Pressure: The trend extends to the federal level. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has proposed measures mirroring a Trump administration executive order that would penalize hospitals providing gender-affirming care to minors by stripping them of Medicaid and Medicare funding. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has criticized these proposals as misrepresenting medical consensus and disregarding the needs of transgender children.
What Allies Can Do: Advocates emphasize that simple acts of support can significantly impact the well-being of transgender youth. According to the Trevor Project, the most effective ways to show support include respecting pronouns, trusting a young person’s self-identification, and educating oneself about LGBTQ+ issues.
The rapid escalation of restrictive legislation creates a patchwork of legal realities for transgender youth across the U.S. While policy debates continue, the immediate impact on young people’s lives is clear: access to essential care and basic dignity are increasingly dependent on where they live.
