PFLAG v Trump: Frequently Asked Questions

What is this case about?

​PFLAG National, families with transgender youth, transgender young adults, and GLMA are fighting President Trump’s executive order to shut down access to necessary medical care for transgender youth and young adults. They are represented by American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, the ACLU of Maryland, and law firms Hogan Lovells and Jenner & Block, which filed a lawsuit in the federal District Court of the District of Maryland. It will be imminently followed by a request for an immediate restraining order against the enforcement of President Trump’s order.

Who are the plaintiffs?

​PFLAG National; GLMA; two transgender young adults; and five transgender adolescents and their families.

What has been the timeline for this case to date?

President Trump signed Executive Order 14187 on January 28, 2025. The legal team filed to block its implementation on Feb. 4, 2025.

Why is PFLAG National a plaintiff in this case?

PFLAG’s more than 550,000 members and supporters include transgender and nonbinary people and their families who support, educate and advocate to create an equitable, inclusive world where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. Immediately after President Trump signed this malicious executive order, these good people raised alarms that medical appointments for their transgender kids were being canceled and that health clinics providing necessary gender-affirming care were closing their doors.

PFLAG National is suing to block this harmful executive order from going into effect because it is our job to ensure our transgender loved ones have the freedom to thrive. No politician has the right or the authority to get between a parent and their child’s prescribed, medically necessary course of healthcare, nor to coerce doctors and medical providers to comply with orders that cause harm.

As our CEO Brian K. Bond shared earlier today, “PFLAG parents are good and decent people who love their trans kids and want them to grow up to become thriving, happy, healthy adults. Yet, President Trump and other politicians maliciously harm our families by denying them access to physician-prescribed, medically recommended care. This order puts trans and nonbinary young people and their families at risk—and we’re not putting up with it. To every transgender and nonbinary youth and young adult, every parent, every family, know this: PFLAG National is not backing down from this fight; PFLAG’s got you.”

What is happening with PFLAG National’s other cases about gender-affirming care?

PFLAG National is a plaintiff in other cases in Missouri, North Carolina and Texas. For more information about particular lawsuits, we encourage you to reach out to the legal advocates for further support. These include Lambda Legal and ACLU at the national and state levels.

PFLAG National plays a critical role in supporting and protecting LGBTQ+ people and families, regardless of whether the organization formally serves as a plaintiff in litigation in any given state.

This new challenge to the Executive Order should have no impact on these challenges to discriminatory state law.

Does being a member of PFLAG protect my child and my family?

PFLAG National is asking the court to block enforcement of President Trump’s executive order that harms transgender youth and young adults. In this case, a victory would make sure all federally-funded health care institutions would be able to continue providing the care to trans young people. In prior cases, the injunctions won by our legal team for PFLAG itself extended protections to members. The goal in this case is a broad victory, and it is possible that there could be more limited relief that would apply to the institutions where PFLAG members receive care.

How do I become a member of PFLAG?

PFLAG is for LGBTQ+ people, their parents, families, and allies. All families that include transgender loved ones in particular are encouraged to join PFLAG. There are two ways to become a member:

1. You can join your local chapter by paying their membership fee, part of which will come to PFLAG National and make you a member of both the national organization and your local chapter; or
2. You can join PFLAG National directly.

Visit pflag.org/become-a-member to learn more about both options and choose which is right for you. Have questions? Reach out to us at [email protected].

I do not have the personal means to pay for a PFLAG membership. Is there financial support for me to join? And if so, how do I access that support?

We are happy to work with families on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are able to become PFLAG members. Please contact us at [email protected] for support.

What does it mean to be a member of PFLAG National?PFLAG supports families, educates allies, and advocates for equality through a vast network of supporters, members, and chapters across the country. People who join PFLAG—whether through a local chapter or through PFLAG National—enjoy the community of participating in meetings and events, educational opportunities, Pride celebrations, workshops, panels, family programming and so much more. PFLAG members have joined and paid dues either to their local PFLAG chapter or directly to PFLAG National; both of these make you a member of PFLAG National. Visit pflag.org/become-a-member to learn more about both options and choose which is right for you. Have questions? Reach out to us at [email protected].