MSPA Rallies in Opposition to DHHS Memo

2018

 The New York Times released a report on October 21 with worrying news. In brief, the Times reported that the Department of Health and Human Services recently authored a memo indicating its intent to push government agencies to establish a legal definition of sex and gender “on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable.” According to the Times, the memo argues that only “male” and “female” are legitimate sexes and that sex is "immutable," anatomically-determined at or before birth, and ultimately discernable by genetic testing if needed.

As members of Medical Student Pride Alliance, a national medical student organization for LGBTQ+ students and allies; and as medical, physician assistant, nursing, pharmacy, public health and other health professional students across the country, we emphatically oppose the ideas espoused by the Department of HHS's memo as well as any attempt to dehumanize or disenfranchise transgender, intersex, and genderqueer/gender non-conforming persons -- many of whom are our friends, family, loved ones, colleagues, physicians and future patients. On Thursday, November 1, we held walk-outs and rallies in our communities, disrupting business as usual to urge our institutions to commit to denouncing this memo and addressing health disparities in gender minority patients. Read more at our open letter.