President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 28, 2025 that restricts federal funding and support for gender reassignment procedures on minors. The measure has since drawn notable support from US Bishops.
Bishop Robert Barron, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, praised the directive. “I welcome the President’s Executive Order prohibiting the promotion and federal funding of procedures that, based on a false understanding of human nature, attempt to change a child’s sex,” he said in a statement.
Bishop Barron emphasized concerns regarding irreversible interventions, noting that many affected young people may face lifelong consequences such as infertility and a continued reliance on hormone therapies. He described the situation as an ideological crusade that endangers the natural order of human creation.
The order also directs federal agencies to review policies influenced by professional associations and to develop research-based approaches for managing gender dysphoria in youth.
Barron also reiterated the importance of upholding the dignity of every child as created in God’s image.
He stressed that minors deserve “authentic and bodily-unitive care” that encourages them to embrace their identity as male or female.
In various states, while similar measures are under legal review, US Catholic leaders remain aligned with policies reflecting traditional Catholic teachings on human nature and sexual difference.
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