Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) will cease to perform gender-affirming surgeries on trans adults, as of February 20th, 2026. Although previously scheduled surgeries will be performed, new surgeries will not be booked, and there may be complications in follow-up care. 

Gender-affirming surgeries can be life-saving for trans individuals, and studies show that these surgeries have high satisfaction rates, with extremely low regret rates, under 2%. Yet, in an accelerating onslaught against trans rights, crucial gender affirming care has been restricted by governments over the past few years. 

However, this ceasing of essential medical care was not prompted by a change in the law, but was instead an active choice of VUMC. As a result, VUMC has the ability to reverse their decision and protect this crucial healthcare that many depend on. As one of the only providers of gender-affirming surgery in Tennessee, their decision affects thousands of trans+ individuals, and contributes to the growing discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in America.

The signatories of this petition urge VUMC to reverse their decision, in light of its drastic consequences on thousands of individuals that depend on this care.