In an op-ed published on July 17 in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jamie Reed — whistleblower and former case manager at the Washington University Transgender Center (WUTC) of St. Louis Children’s Hospital — wrote that the WUTC “quietly announced” last week that they will be “permanently closed.” However, sources from other news outlets deny the closure allegations.

Transgender and non-binary students deserve to receive vehement and unwavering support from their university as Missouri lawmakers continue to threaten their safety by attacking their rights to gender-affirming care.

A Washington University professor and UCLA researcher co-authored an article highlighting the importance of gender-affirming care for transgender youth as the University continues to investigate allegations of malpractice at the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital (the Center), Feb. 24.

The University must rectify this by voicing more consistent support for the Center as well as for its transgender students during this time of crisis.