The Brief

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is officially closing its gender-affirming care center today, ending a chapter for one of the oldest and largest clinics of its kind in the U.S. The hospital’s thousands of trans patients under 21 are now left to find a new provider to access therapy, hormones and surgeries.

The closure marks a turning point in the nationwide battle for transgender rights, as the Trump administration has sought to restrict access to gender-affirming care by withholding federal funding, even in deep-blue states with “shield laws” protecting such medical services.

Advocates organized by the Los Angeles LGBT Center had protested the shuttering of CHLA’s Center for Transyouth Health and Development at rallies outside the hospital.

"Gender-affirming care is protected by law,” said Maria Do, community mobilization manager at the L.A. LGBT Center, at a rally July 17. “CHLA’s compliance with political pressure and anti-trans fearmongering must be investigated and prevented from ever happening again.”

What were the federal forces behind the closure? 

In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to restrict access to gender-affirming hormones and surgeries. The administration called the treatments “chemical and surgical” hormones.

Major medical associations — and a majority of people who receive this care, according to surveys — oppose these bans and describe healthcare for trans youth as potentially life-saving.

CHLA cited this executive order when announcing its Feb. 4 decision to pause gender-affirming surgeries, hormones and puberty blockers for new patients under 19. Following public outcry, CHLA then resumed the intake of new patients under 19 for these services about two weeks later.

Over the next months, CHLA said its leadership watched guidance from various federal departments, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Protesters have gathered weekly outside Children's Hospital L.A. since the closure of its gender-affirming care clinic was announced last month.

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Kevin Tidmarsh

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These directives were cited by hospital administrators on June 12, when they announced the closure.

The hospital said it gave families six weeks’ notice before closing its gender-affirming care center. Many current and former patients who spoke at rallies said they thought this wasn’t enough time for youth — particularly for longtime patients who had built relationships with medical staff — to find new providers.

CHLA’s financial reality

About 65% of the hospital’s funding comes indirectly or directly through federal sources, and the hospital is more dependent on these funds than the state average, according to the hospital. The latest publicly available data shows an even higher percentage: just over 70%.

That federal funding largely comes from Medicaid, according to state data — which was cut by about $1 trillion under Trump’s signature budget package. According to a letter to patients announcing the closing provided to LAist, the hospital said it could only sustain operations for about 50 days if all federal funding were withheld.

The hospital said it was left with no choice but to shutter the center despite its decades of “evidence-based” care — especially as the prospect of securing funding from California grew more and more uncertain amid a statewide budget crisis.

A large crowd of people listens to a speech at a rally outside Children's Hospital L.A.

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Kevin Tidmarsh

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What are patients and advocates saying?

Weekly protests have been held outside the hospital in support of gender-affirming care for trans youth.

A protest on July 17 saw around 100 protesters packed onto a cramped sidewalk on Sunset Boulevard across from the hospital. Protesters’ signs, chants and speeches called out a variety of actors, primarily the Trump administration and CHLA administrators.

Protesters held signs shaped like CHLA's butterfly logo with messages supporting transgender, gender diverse and intersex youth written on them.

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Kevin Tidmarsh

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LAist

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People at the rally, including a few wearing medical scrubs, held signs in the shape of CHLA’s butterfly logo with messages of support for trans, gender non-conforming and intersex people. Vehicles driving past — including some utility trucks and ambulances — honked in support of the rally, sharply punctuating speeches from local LGBTQ+ advocates and former patients in support of keeping access to gender-affirming care.

“Instead of protecting that care, CHLA caved,” said Sydney Rogers, a program manager at the L.A. LGBT Center and vice chair of the L.A. County LGBTQ+ Commission. “Instead of defending the youth they once promised to serve, they closed the doors and turned off the lights. Now families across L.A. are scrambling for crumbs in a healthcare system built on fear.”

What now for gender-affirming care providers?

For CHLA’s thousands of patients and their families, finding new doctors could prove difficult. Other providers in the state are restricting their services in an effort to shield themselves from federal attention.

For instance, Stanford Medicine paused gender-related surgeries on patients under 19 last month.

Protesters led chants at a recent rally, including some that directly targeted CHLA's policies.

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Kevin Tidmarsh

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LAist

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Attorney General Rob Bonta also advised the hospital earlier this year it may be violating state law by not offering gender-affirming care.

“Let me be clear: California law has not changed, and hospitals and clinics have a legal obligation to provide equal access to healthcare services,” Bonta said in a letter to CHLA.

However, in a statement provided to LAist on Monday, Bonta’s office said it would focus on “the source of this problem — and that’s the Trump administration's unlawful and harmful threats to providers.”

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act contains a provision that would remove gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act. Bonta filed a lawsuit Friday challenging that clause.

MEXICO CITY — Mateo Chávez and Julián Quiñones scored in a six-minute span early in the second half, and Mexico beat the Czech Republic 3-0 on Wednesday night to win all three of its World Cup group-stage matches for the first time.

The 22-year-old Chávez, in his first World Cup, opened the scoring in the 55th minute and Quiñones scored his second goal of the tournament in the 61st. Alvaro Fidalgo added a goal in second-half stoppage time.

Mexico’s previous best group-stage performance was two wins and one draw, done in 1986 and 2002 and both featuring Javier Aguirre, the first as a midfielder and the second as El Tri’s coach. Aguirre is back as coach this year, his third stint leading the team.

Already the winner of Group A, Mexico will play again at Estadio Azteca on Tuesday in a round-of-32 match against an opponent to be determined.

Mexico is undefeated at nine World Cup matches at the massive stadium, which was packed with 80,824 fans on Wednesday. El Tri has only two losses at Azteca, most recently in World Cup qualifying against Honduras on Sept. 6, 2013.

The match included nods to Mexico’s past and future. Gilberto Mora, at age 17, became the youngest Mexico player to start in a World Cup. And 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa entered in the 77th minute, joining Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to appear in six World Cups.

Mexico’s triumph was marred, however, by the return of a homophobic chant by fans that has previously led to fines and other sanctions against its soccer federation. The chant, a one-word slur that literally means male prostitute in Spanish, was heard near the end of the first half when Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar took a goal kick.

The Czech Republic was eliminated, finishing with one point in three games.

Mexico is unbeaten in 11 games dating to a friendly loss against Panama last November. And Aguirre has made the most of his roster, using 25 of 26 players in the tournament. Chávez was one of five starters Wednesday who did not start last Thursday’s 1-0 win over South Korea.

Ochoa makes history in his likely farewell

Ochoa, who wears No. 13, played the last 13 minutes, plus stoppage time, in what’s likely to be his final appearance for Mexico. He turns 41 on July 13 and has said he plans to retire from international competition after the World Cup.

He was a substitute in the 2006 and 2010 tournaments and started for Mexico in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Raúl Rangel is the starter this year, stepping in for the injured Luis Ángel Malagón, who helped Mexico win the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup last year. Malagón’s injury opened the door for Ochoa’s return.

Ochoa became the oldest Mexican to play in the World Cup. The previous record holder was Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who was 37 when he played in South Africa in 2014.

L.A. County health officials Wednesday confirmed the county's seventh measles case this year — a traveler who passed through Hollywood Burbank Airport on the morning of June 17.

They're warning people who may have come in contact with the person of possible exposure to the highly contagious virus.

What you should know: Public health officials say the infected traveler arrived on Southwest Airlines Flight 4245 Gate A4 on June 17 at the Hollywood Burbank Airport. Anyone who was at that gate between 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. may have been exposed.

Officials also noted that people who were at the Thrifty Rental Car Service on June 17 from 9:20 to 10:20 a.m. and on June 18 from 10:25 to 11:25 a.m. may have been exposed. That's located at 2627 N. Hollywood Way in Burbank.

What if I was on the flight? Public health officials say passengers sitting next to the traveler will be notified by local health departments and should monitor for symptoms. Keep in mind those symptoms could appear up to three weeks after you were exposed.

Symptoms to look out for: Common symptoms include runny nose, fever cough, or a rash. It's also important if you develop these symptoms, don't just walk into a health care center without calling ahead first.

For people exposed on June 17, the last day to monitor for symptoms is July 8. For those exposed on June 18, the last day to monitor for symptoms is July 19.

How can I protect myself?: It's important to check if you are vaccinated against the measles. As health officials noted in the news release reporting the latest case: "The most effective way to protect yourself and your family is with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine."

The Los Angeles Unified Board voted unanimously to appoint Andres Chait, a longtime district administrator, as superintendent days after his predecessor resigned.

 “This board's decision reflects the confidence in Mr. Chait's leadership, his decades of service to Los Angeles Unified, and his demonstrated ability to guide the district during this period of transition,” said board President Scott Schmerelson.

The board met privately to discuss the district’s top job three days after Alberto Carvalho resigned. Carvalho wrote in a letter that he was leaving “because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction.”

The board placed Carvalho on paid administrative leave following FBI searches of his home and district office in February and appointed Chait acting superintendent. Carvalho has not been charged with a crime and has maintained his innocence.

Who is Andres Chait?

Chait rose through the ranks from teacher to administrator at LAUSD over nearly three decades. The responsibilities of his most recent role, chief of school operations, included overseeing school safety, athletics and the district’s office of emergency management.

Chait thanked the board, the community and his family after the announcement Wednesday and reflected on his first day as a kindergarten teacher 30 years ago. “ I was probably more nervous than the kids were, but I knew then that this was a place where I could make a positive difference in the lives of students and families,” Chait said. “I've always known that there is no greater accelerator of change and opportunity than the schoolhouse, and that is still true today.”

Under Chait's interim leadership, the district successfully negotiated new contracts with its largest labor unions — avoiding a massive strike by teachers, principals and staff — and passed a significant reduction-in-force plan and fiscal stabilization plan.

Chait is the first district staff member to be selected as full-time superintendent since Michelle King in 2016.

What is the superintendent responsible for?

LAUSD is the country’s second-largest school district, employs 83,000 people and enrolls more than 400,000 students across more than 1,000 schools. Despite recent gains in student test scores, the majority of students are not proficient in reading and math skills for their grade level. The district also faces looming financial challenges from declining enrollment — which is tied to state funding — and federal investigations into programs designed to help underserved students succeed.

A former state parks superintendent who oversaw Orange County beaches was charged Wednesday with secretly filming naked male lifeguards and other workers inside the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The former superintendent, Kevin Pearsall, is also accused of sending some of the images to two other men.

What charges does he face?

Pearsall, 59, of Long Beach, faces five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful dissemination of private recordings. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 18 years and eight months behind bars.

Scott C. Thomas, a defense attorney representing Pearsall, declined to comment in the wake of the charges being announced by the Orange County District Attorney's office. Pearsall is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 6 and could enter a plea at that time.

Details of the investigation

In July 2025, a California State Parks officer discovered a USB stick with a hidden camera in the men's locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach Lifeguard Headquarters. The officer contacted California Highway Patrol, which launched an investigation.

The investigation found Pearsall allegedly had recorded numerous secret videos in the locker room over an 11-month period beginning in August 2024, according to the DA's announcement. Pearsall retired from his job shortly after CHP served search warrants in the case. He turned himself in earlier this week.

State Parks reaction

Marty Greenstein, a spokesperson for California State Parks, told LAist the agency “takes these charges very seriously and has fully cooperated with law enforcement through every step of the investigation.” Greenstein declined to comment further, citing the active criminal investigation.