Colorful shapes interspersed with images of queer URGE advocates with the words

Hi Friend,

At URGE, we believe action is the only way forward. That’s why this fall we launched our We URGE Action campaign to help you stay informed, speak out, and vote.

Earlier this summer, the Supreme Court issued the Skrmetti decision, allowing states to uphold bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth. The ruling means that state laws restricting care are more likely to be enforced, resulting in less access to essential care for many young people.

Friend, will you donate today to help URGE defend trans youth and respond to the threats that have intensified since Skrmetti? ➔

Fuel our movement

The Threats We’re Facing:

State bans and penalties: Currently, 27 states have enacted policies limiting youth access to gender-affirming care, 17 states are facing lawsuits, and more than 24 states impose professional or legal penalties on providers.

Escalating legislative attacks: In 2025 alone, 987 anti-trans bills have been introduced nationwide, compared to 701 the previous year.

Federal agency actions: Reports and letters from HHS and CMS questioning gender-affirming care have placed new scrutiny on hospitals and emboldened opponents of LGBTQ+ rights.

Impact on providers and patients: Some university-affiliated hospitals have already stopped providing care for minors, indicating that political pressure is shaping healthcare access.

Statistic Sources: Trans Legislation Tracker and KFF

The Truth That Drives Our Work:

• The threats we face are about controlling our bodies.

• Young people are capable of making decisions about their bodies, and they deserve autonomy and self-determination.

• Gender-affirming care supports transgender young people’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

• Gender-affirming care enables young people to live as their authentic selves, enhancing their quality of life, self-esteem, and overall happiness.

Colorful shapes interspersed with images of queer URGE advocates

What URGE is Doing:

• Organizational advocacy: We issued a public statement on Skrmetti and joined multiple sign-on letters to Congress and state legislatures highlighting the harms of this decision and related legislation.

• Federal engagement: We are tracking agency guidance, responding to harmful executive nominations, and mobilizing youth to push back against budget provisions that target LGBTQ+ communities. We are also working to protect HIPAA rights for trans youth, ensuring their personal healthcare information cannot be weaponized against them.

• State-level organizing: In states like Alabama, we have partnered with local organizations to hold postcard-writing campaigns, urging legislators to recognize and protect LGBTQ+ constituents in their communities.

When you donate $50, it helps us to onboard a new class of students into this movement and provide a semester’s worth of mentorship, training, resources, and more.

How You Can Support Us:

Donate ➔ to strengthen our youth-led organizing and advocacy.

Add your name ➔ in support of protecting access to gender-affirming care.

Stay engaged ➔ with our updates on email and social as state legislatures reconvene in 2026, because your voice is critical in defending trans communities.

Together, we can respond to the threats we face and ensure that young people have the healthcare and can navigate the world with the dignity they deserve.

Donate today

Daniela Ochoa Diaz, Senior Director of Policy at URGE

In the community,
Daniela Ochoa Diaz (she/her/ella)
Senior Director of Policy, URGE

P.S. Here are four more ways you can support us today:

📣 Fill out your Activist Profile Today to engage with our work and support our vision!
✍️ Sign Our Petition to Protect Trans Youth.
📚 Test Your Knowledge of Reproductive Justice by taking our RJ101 Quiz!
📱 Follow Us on Social to learn more about Reproductive Justice and URGE’s work across the country.

Building Young People Power for Reproductive Justice

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
4315 50th St. NW, Suite 100 #4616
Washington, DC 20016
United States

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