Recently, there has been a huge national effort to punish those who facilitate minors' access to gender-affirming medical care. Some states have gone so far as to classify gender-affirming care as "child abuse;" for example, the order issued by the Governor of Texas in February 2022, directing Texas's Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate any reported instances of health care providers or parents who provide or seek out gender-affirming care for children. The provision and consequent labeling of such care could then result in children being removed from their families.

Over the past two-plus years, as a result of legislation proposed or enacted nearly 60,000 transgender youth and young adults across 15 states have been placed in jeopardy of losing access to gender-affirming care. More than one third of the 150,000 youth ages 13-17 who identify as transgender live in the 15 states that have restricted access to gender-affirming care or are currently considering laws that would do so. More than 4,000 young adults, ages 18 to 20, would also be at risk of losing access to gender-affirming care under some proposed bills that would apply to young people over the age of 18.