Cynthia Nixon Has Strong Words For NYU Hospital Denying Gender-Affirming Care To Trans Kids
Nixon shared her speech on social media, writing, “New York is better than this, NYU SHOULD be better than this.”
Cynthia Nixon, the out actress and activist known for her roles in Sex and the City and The Gilded Age, took a stand this week against what she called a “sickening” decision by New York University Langone Health, which reportedly began canceling gender-affirming treatments for trans youth in apparent compliance with a Trump administration directive.
Speaking at a rally on Monday night in St. Vartan Park near NYU Langone, Nixon passionately denounced the hospital’s decision to halt care for transgender minors. “Most importantly, I am here today as the mother of a proud trans man,” Nixon told the crowd of hundreds. “I am here today as the aunt of a proud trans man. My best friend’s kid is trans. My kid’s best friend is trans. My wife and I, our lives are filled with the most amazing, beautiful, brave trans people—young and old, but especially young.”
Related: Trump’s Attack On Trans Youth Defies Medical Consensus And Basic Human Dignity
The rally was organized in response to reports that NYU Langone had abruptly canceled appointments for at least two 12-year-old patients who were set to receive puberty blockers. The apparent cancellations follow an executive order from President Donald Trump, which threatens to withhold federal funding from hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to anyone under 19. While the order has yet to be fully implemented or tested in court, some hospitals—NYU Langone among them—have already begun preemptively denying care, leaving transgender youth in limbo.
Nixon posted an edited video of her speech to Instagram, writing, “New York is better than this, NYU SHOULD be better than this.”
A Crisis for Trans Youth and Their Families
For families of trans youth, the hospital’s sudden shift represents a devastating upheaval. Parents like Nixon have expressed frustration, believing that New York, a state with strong anti-discrimination protections, would shield them from the kind of restrictive policies spreading across conservative states.
Related: Donald Trump Can’t Erase Our Gender: Nonbinary Thoughts In MAGA America
Nixon’s son Samuel came out as trans in 2018 and received top surgery at NYU Langone. “His doctors were fantastic. His surgeon was the best we could have imagined,” she reflected. “And the idea that this city is filled with young people who thought they had a place to go where they could receive the highest care—and that place has now been shut to them—sickens me. Sickens me to my core.”
Legal experts have warned that hospitals complying with Trump’s directive may be violating New York’s anti-discrimination laws. State Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement warning medical providers that denying care based on gender identity could constitute unlawful discrimination. “Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we remind you of your obligations to comply with New York State laws,” the letter to healthcare providers stated.
The Power of Federal Funding—and the Cost of Compliance
While NYU Langone has remained silent on the matter, financial records show just how dependent hospitals are on the federal government. In a recent 12-month period, NYU Langone made over $9 billion in patient care revenue, with nearly half—$4.4 billion—coming from government-funded insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid, according to the New York Times. Additionally, the hospital and its researchers received $815 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health, making federal dollars a significant part of its financial structure.
The executive order explicitly directs the federal government to explore whether it can use Medicare and Medicaid regulations to force hospitals into compliance, a move that could have wide-ranging consequences for institutions that serve transgender patients.
A Continued Fight for Trans Rights
As more hospitals weigh their response to Trump’s directive, LGBTQ+ advocates and political leaders are vowing to fight back. New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal warned that restricting gender-affirming care could have life-threatening consequences. “Simply put, this decision could put lives at risk,” he said. “It is imperative that all New Yorkers, including those under the age of 19, are able to receive necessary and life-preserving gender-affirming care to which they are legally entitled in the State of New York.”
Nixon concluded her speech by reaffirming her commitment to standing alongside the trans community: “The last two weeks have been an assault, a barrage, so many horrific things coming at us from every direction. Nothing has made me feel so good as coming around the corner today and seeing you all standing here fighting for trans rights.”
The trans community is facing relentless attacks under this new administration, with policies designed to strip away their rights and dignity. These attacks have immediate, life-altering consequences. Protecting trans rights is not just a matter of policy—it is a fight for survival.
