American Medical Association Strengthens Commitment to ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ and Affirmative Action

The American Medical Association (AMA) passed sweeping resolutions that strengthen its commitment to advancing DEI training in medical school, its activism against legislation restricting “gender-affirming care,” and its opposition to the mandatory reporting of gender dysphoria in minors. 

The House of Delegates, the policy-making body of the AMA, passed resolutions at its annual meeting, held on June 9-13 this year. 

One resolution that passed amended a preexisting policy to oppose mandatory reporting of information related to sexual orientation and any information related to gender transition, including for patients who are minors, according to the organization’s press release. 

Previously, the AMA policy only opposed mandated reporting of “individuals who question or express interest in exploring their gender identity,” and it did not specify whether it applied to children. 

Another resolution, introduced by the Endocrine Society, committed the AMA to “opposing any criminal and legal penalties against patients seeking gender-affirming care, family members or guardians who support them in seeking medical care, and health care facilities and clinicians who provide gender-affirming care,” according to a press release by the society. 

During the annual meeting, the AMA also adopted a policy urging colleges and medical schools to implement race-conscious admissions procedures in advance of the looming Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. The AMA had joined an amicus brief for the case, arguing that “diversity in the education of the Nation’s physicians and other healthcare professionals is a medical imperative.”

“The policy emphasizes the AMA’s unequivocal opposition to legislation that would dissolve affirmative action or punish institutions for employing race-conscious admissions,” the organization said in a press release. The AMA adopted another policy to oppose legacy preferences in medical school admissions.

Additionally, the AMA adopted policy changes to recognize diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as “a vital aspect of medical training” and directly oppose any government attempts to “limit diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, curriculum requirements, or funding in medical education.”

The AMA introduced its new president, Jesse Ehrenfeld, an anesthesiologist and former combat veteran who served in Afghanistan. In his inaugural speech, Ehrenfeld spoke of being the first openly gay person to lead the AMA.

“It is imperative that we expand, not contract, care for trans youth,” Ehrenfeld said in an interview with The Advocate, a publication that describes itself as “the world’s leading source of LGBT news and politics.”

“Transgender youth should be celebrated and embraced for their strength and courage in being their true selves. People don’t realize how much bravery that takes,” Ehrenfeld said. 

The AMA was founded in 1847 and “convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders.” In 2021, the AMA reported that its total of dues-paying members exceeded a quarter-million.