Governor Shapiro joins lawsuit against federal "GAC" bans
Plus more action alerts
The 19th* has reported that PA Governor Josh Shapiro has joined a group of state attorneys general suing the Trump administration for allegedly unconstitutionally restricting “gender-affirming care” (GAC) for minors. You can read the text of the lawsuit here. Governor Shapiro is the only individual plaintiff; the rest are attorneys general of states whose “GAC” clinics have closed.
Interestingly, Governor Shapiro’s official website has no information on this lawsuit. Any subscribers to the Philadelphia Inquirer can read a (paywalled) article about the lawsuit.
In July 2025, Governor Shapiro denounced supporters of PA SB 9, the Save Women’s Sports Act, as “extremists.”
PA4SBR will keep you updated on this lawsuit.
Meanwhile, we need your help on two key bills in Congress.
According to WoLF, these bills “would help codify the Executive Order 14168 - Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism - codified into law.”
The first bill, S.1147 - Defining Male and Female Act of 2025, filed by Senator Marshall of Kansas, has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Senator Chuck Grassley is the chairman. Please contact him using this link to request he schedule this bill for a Committee hearing. WoLF has women who will testify. When WoLF met with Senator Grassley's staff in May 2025, they were very supportive and helpful. Please contact him and urge him to schedule S. 1147 for a Committee hearing.
The second bill, HR1015 - the Prison Rape Prevention Act, filed by Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and needs to be scheduled for a hearing. This bill mandates sex-segregation of inmates in the federal prison system and stops taxpayer-funded “GAC” in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. WoLF has been working with female inmates, such as Rhonda Fleming, who are being housed with males in the federal system. WoLF is also suing the state of California for putting men in women's prisons and would be happy to testify in a hearing on this bill. You can contact the Committee using this link to request that they schedule HR1015 for a hearing.
Finally, PA4SBR and DIAG remind everyone to submit comments to FTC opposing “GAC” for minors. At this writing, FTC is focusing solely on minors, so please keep that in mind. If you have any files that are too large to upload, email FTC and ask where you can send them. FTC wants evidence that “GAC” tells minors and their parents that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries are "safe, effective and medically necessary." The deadline for submitting comments is September 26, 2025, 11:59 pm EST.
From DIAG:
Following the Supreme Court’s June 18, 2025, ruling in Skrmetti v. United States, which upheld Tennessee’s Senate Bill 1 prohibiting GAC for minors, the FTC is now evaluating whether GAC practitioners have violated federal law.
The FTC is seeking input from the public, especially those with personal experience, to address questions related to:
Interactions with medical professionals, including mental health clinicians, who recommended GAC, including which treatments were proposed, how benefits and risks were described and whether risks were adequately explained.
GAC interventions and related harms or adverse effects, and whether those adverse effects were explained prior to treatment.
False or misleading claims about GAC’s benefits or effectiveness, including where and how these claims were made (e.g., in-person, social media, websites).
Promotions or advertisements of GAC interventions, including whether they addressed risks or disclosed material connections between the influencer and a provider of GAC (e.g., influencer endorsements).
DIAG also suggests:
Watch this video from the LGB Courage Coalition for guidance on navigating these issues as a parent and submitting effective comments to the FTC.
Visit Regulations.gov. Docket number is FTC-2025-0264. The instructions are also available for download on the website by clicking on “Download File.”
…
Tips for Effective Complaints:
Start with a Clear Heading: e.g., “XYZ Hospital System,” “Dr. XYZ, TikTok Plastic Surgeon,” “Dr. XYZ, Psychologist at [Clinic],” or “Online Cross-Sex Hormone Seller.” This enables the FTC to scan the complaints and know immediately what category the complaint falls under.
Include your Contact Information so the FTC can follow up, if needed.
Answer the Questions: Review the questions in the instructions and address them directly. Focus on your perspective as a consumer, for example:
“A doctor told my child their sex was ‘assigned male at birth,’ leading them to believe they were really a girl.”
“I was told puberty blockers were safe and reversible, so I consented for my child. Now she has osteopenia, and research shows these claims were misleading.”
Be Factual and Concise: Describe how statements by providers shaped your perceptions and decisions. Avoid emotional language or excessive detail. The intent of the provider is irrelevant—focus on your experience as a consumer.
Highlight Recent Issues: Newer information is more impactful. Include actionable details, such as misleading online posts or claims about suicide risks.
Attach Evidence: Use the file upload option to include screenshots, documents, or other evidence.
Note: Anything dealing with insurance fraud does NOT fall under the FTC. Insurance fraud falls under HHS OIG. Non-profits (Planned Parenthood, etc.) do NOT fall under the FTC.
Entities that DO fall under FTC: Private and public hospitals, doctors, influencers, therapists, online drug peddlers or anyone selling a product to consumers.
Today’s lagniappe:
A little birdie told me that he knows better but wants to be President, and to win as a Democrat you need the Democratic media on your side. He'll frame it as "choice" - ignoring that children are being indoctrinated. It's maddening.