At least 1,000 people lost access to gender-affirming care in Connecticut in the wake of a federal threat to strip health care providers of benefits.

Pressure from the Trump administration resulted in several Connecticut hospitals winding down programs for youth gender-affirming care last summer. But in March, Connecticut and 20 other states successfully sued to block a declaration carrying out Trump’s directives. Now, Connecticut lawmakers are working on other ways to shield trans people and their health care providers.

Today on The Wheelhouse, the politics of hormones and the effort to preserve gender-affirming care.

Guests:
Lindsey Dawson, director of LGBTQ+ policy, KFF
Melissa Combs, organizer, Equality Connecticut
Jona Tanguay, president, GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality)

At least 1,000 people lost access to gender-affirming care in Connecticut in the wake of a federal threat to strip health care providers of benefits.
Pressure from the Trump administration resulted in several Connecticut hospitals winding down programs for youth gender-affirming care&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-07-25/an-abdication-ct-reacts-to-hospitals-end-to-gender-affirming-care-for-young-people">last summer</a>. But in March, Connecticut and 20 other states successfully sued to&nbsp;<a href="https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2026-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-secures-federal-court-order-protecting-gender-affirming-care">block</a>&nbsp;a declaration carrying out Trump&rsquo;s directives. Now, Connecticut lawmakers are working on other ways to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABillStatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&amp;bill_num=SB295&amp;ref=autonomynews.co">shield</a>&nbsp;trans people and their health care providers.
Today on The Wheelhouse, the politics of hormones and the effort to preserve gender-affirming care.
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.kff.org/person/lindsey-dawson/">Lindsey Dawson</a>, director of LGBTQ+ policy, KFF</li>
<li><a href="https://eqct.org/our-rights/vision-and-values/">Melissa Combs</a>, organizer, Equality Connecticut</li>
<li><a href="https://www.glma.org/about_glma.php">Jona Tanguay</a>, president, GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality)</li>
</ul>

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

Connecticut's best journalists come out of the political trenches every Wednesday to join us on WNPR's weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse.