In a controversial policy shift, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that it will no longer provide hormone therapy or other gender-affirming treatments to transgender veterans—unless they were already receiving such care.
This move comes as part of a broader policy change that removes previous protections for transgender veterans seeking medical support.
What’s Changing?
For more than a decade, the VA provided transgender veterans with access to hormone therapy, mental health care, and pre/post-surgery evaluations. However, under the new directive announced Monday, transgender veterans who have not started treatment through the VA or military will no longer be eligible for these services.
Additionally, the VA has confirmed that it has never covered gender-affirming surgeries and will not be making any changes to that policy. Other services, including gender-affirming prosthetics, wigs, and support letters for transition-related procedures outside the VA, will also be cut.
The policy shift comes just days after the VA repealed a 2018 directive that required staff to treat transgender veterans with respect and dignity, including addressing them by their preferred names and pronouns. The decision has sparked criticism from LGBTQ advocates and veteran support groups.
Why Did the VA Make This Decision?
According to VA Secretary Doug Collins, the department’s focus should not be on helping veterans “attempt to change their sex.” He added that while all veterans—including transgender veterans—will continue receiving VA services, those seeking gender transition care will need to pay for it themselves.
Collins also claimed that most Americans and veterans support this decision, though no official data was provided to back this statement.
The VA stated that the money saved from cutting gender dysphoria treatments will be redirected to assist severely injured veterans, such as amputees and paralyzed veterans, helping them regain their independence.
New Rules for VA Facilities
In addition to restricting medical care, the VA has also announced new guidelines for transgender veterans using its facilities. Moving forward:
- Transgender veterans must use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their birth sex.
- VA health care providers will no longer be required to address transgender veterans by their preferred name or pronouns.
This rollback of previous transgender-inclusive policies has raised concerns among many veterans and advocacy groups, who argue that it creates an unwelcoming environment for those who have served their country.
Reactions to the Policy Change
Many advocacy groups and LGBTQ+ organizations have spoken out against the new policy. Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, condemned the decision, stating that transgender veterans have made the same sacrifices as any other veteran and deserve equal care.
“Despite their service to this country, the VA is now turning its back on transgender veterans and following an administration determined to harm the transgender community,” she said.
This policy change was reportedly influenced by President Donald Trump’s executive order, which defines gender as strictly male or female and has led to similar rollbacks in other government agencies.
While past estimates suggested that more than 134,000 transgender individuals are veterans or retired from military service, the VA claims that only around 9,100 transgender veterans are currently enrolled in VA health care—a number far lower than previous studies suggest.
What’s Next?
This decision is part of a larger trend of policies affecting transgender individuals in the U.S. government. From restrictions on military service to state-level bans on transition-related health care, transgender rights have become a major focus of political debates.
Advocacy groups are expected to challenge the VA’s new policy, arguing that it discriminates against transgender veterans and fails to provide equal medical care for all who have served.
For now, transgender veterans seeking hormone therapy or gender-affirming support through the VA will have to look for alternative options outside the system.
