Puerto Rico’s Senate has advanced a deeply controversial bill, Senate Project 950 (P. del S. 950), that would ban all forms of gender-affirming care for minors. This includes puberty blockers and hormone therapy, regardless of whether a parent or guardian supports the treatment. If enacted, the bill would impose harsh penalties on doctors, therapists, and even parents who support or provide medically recommended care for transgender youth.
The legislation explicitly prohibits healthcare professionals from prescribing, administering, or recommending any form of medical transition for individuals under the age of 18. Violating the law could result in criminal prosecution and the loss of a medical license. Parents who consent to such care may also face legal consequences, including investigations that could result in the loss of custody.
This sweeping ban contradicts the global medical consensus. Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society, and the World Health Organization all recognize gender-affirming care as safe, effective, and essential to mental health. Over 20 local professional and advocacy organizations, including the Puerto Rico Psychological Association and the Puerto Rican Chapter of the AAP, have spoken out against the bill, calling it a direct threat to the well-being of transgender youth.
“These treatments are not experimental. They are backed by years of medical research,” said Dr. Carlos Rodríguez, a pediatric endocrinologist based in San Juan. “The real harm comes from denying care, not providing it.”
Parents of transgender children have also voiced their outrage and fear. “La niñez trans existe. Trans children exist,” said Anette Rivera, whose daughter began gender-affirming therapy at age 12. “We’ve seen how much she has grown and how much happier she is. Now the Senate wants to make that illegal. They want to erase our children.”
Dozens of families have sent a public letter to Governor Wanda Vázquez, urging her to veto the bill. They describe the legislation as a political stunt that ignores medical expertise and real-life experience. The letter argues that the bill strips parents of the right to support their children and forces doctors to abandon their professional ethics.
Supporters of the bill claim it protects minors from making life-altering decisions too young. However, in medical practice, gender-affirming care for youth involves thorough evaluations and begins with reversible interventions such as puberty blockers. Both parents and professionals carefully consider these treatments over extended periods.
Simultaneously, the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico recently issued a ruling allowing residents to select an “X” gender marker on their birth certificates. This decision was seen as a milestone for trans and nonbinary recognition. However, many activists feel that legal visibility means little if access to care is denied.
“This is the contradiction we face,” said LGBTQ+ advocate Pedro Julio Serrano. “We’re being recognized on paper while our rights and our children are attacked in practice.”
As the bill awaits action from the governor, trans Puerto Ricans and their allies are organizing public demonstrations, petitions, and outreach efforts to prevent it from becoming law. Their message is clear and urgent: protect trans youth and veto Senate Project 950.
