Statement on Attacks on LGBTQIA+ Rights and Resources
The first day of June marks a month-long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. Honoring the progress and the vibrance of this community has been especially important with escalating attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community’s rights.
On June 18, 2025, the Trump Administration announced the termination of the 988 national suicide prevention hotline’s support for LGBTQIA+ callers beginning July 17, 2025. Through providers like the Trevor Project, the 988 Lifeline has served almost 1.3 million youth since the launch of the program in September 2022. Soon, calls/texts will be routed to general crisis centers without LGBTQIA+ specialization. The shutdown of this hotline will have an enormous impact, considering that 1.8 million LGBTQIA+ young people consider suicide every year and are four times more likely to commit suicide than their peers.
On the same day, transgender rights were also seriously curtailed by the new Supreme Court ruling United States v. Skrmetti, in which they upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming care for transgender youth. This decision has wide-ranging implications: it maintains similar bans on gender affirming care across 25 states, which range from prohibiting providers from administering hormones or puberty blockers to prohibiting gender-affirming care surgeries. Although some states have enacted policies to shield patients receiving and/or providers practicing gender affirming care from civil or criminal charges, over 100,000 transgender youth living outside these areas will still face significant barriers to care.
National APAMSA condemns these egregious and cruel decisions against the LGBTQIA+ community, who are already a vulnerable and marginalized population. As we approach the end of this month of celebration, this community faces even greater challenges that infringe on the right to exist and to thrive as their authentic self. Guided by our policy compendium, we stand firm in the belief that all patients, including but not limited to those based on their age, color, sex, gender, and sexual orientation, deserve equitable, evidence-based care. We call on medical professionals and trainees to continue advocating for sexual and gender minorities, and implore local, state, and federal leaders to promote health equity and fight inequities affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.
Please contact your members of Congress to express your opposition against these efforts that degrade and inflict pain on LGBTQIA+ youth. You can use 5 Calls to quickly locate your representatives’ numbers and be prepared with prompts that can help you discuss this particular bill and other issues at ease.
Sign the petition to voice your concern about the end of the LGBTQ Youth 988 Hotline: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/protect-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline-for-lgbtq-youth/
For questions about this statement, please reach out to:
LGBTQIA+ Director, Joey Hua-Phan at lgbtqia@apamsa.org
LGBTQIA+ Committee Member, Elijah Liu at diversity.committees@apamsa.org
Rapid Response Director, Brian Leung at rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
LGBTQIA+ Care Is Under Attack.
Patients and professionals are at risk. These are recent federal actions as of June 27, 2025:
- Bans on gender-affirming care sweeping across our nation
- Terminating crisis lifelines for LGBTQIA+ youth
- Pressuring providers into silence
Criminalizing Providers: H.R. 3492
Congress is advancing H.R. 3492, which would:
- Make it a federal crime to provide gender-affirming care to minors
- Penalize clinicians with up to 10 years in prison
This is not about safety. It’s about eroding medical autonomy and the duty of healthcare providers!
Take action now: action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-trans-care-now
The “Chilling Effect” Is Already Here
The phenomenon describes providers and institutions withdrawing from offering LGBTQIA+ care out of fear of legal, professional, or political consequences.
Across the U.S., providers are:
- Asking to be removed from LGBTQIA+ directories
- Canceling trainings and support programs
- Backing away from DEI partnerships
Protect Your Patients and Yourself
Even in restrictive states, we urge providers to use your voice and position to support LGBTQIA+ patients further by:
- Documenting decisions clearly and legally
- Using encrypted, secure communication tools
- Sharing vetted provider referral lists confidentially
- Consulting with organizations like GLMA, ACLU, or Lambda Legal if in doubt
Ask your employers for clear legal guidance and know your rights.
Students: Don’t Be Discouraged
We are the next generation of providers.
- Keep learning about gender-affirming care best practices
- Seek out affirming preceptors or telehealth shadowing
- Use platforms and private peer networks to build experience
- Document and report any discriminatory practices during your training. You are protected.
How to Push Back as Providers (Legally + Ethically)
- Advocate for inclusive care policies and language
- Push for policy reviews on gender and identity
- Join or form affirming clinician coalitions locally and nationally
- Know how to refer patients to care in other states or via Telehealth
What Can You Still Do as Healthcare Professionals
Clinical Practice
- Affirm: Use patients’ names/pronouns. Document care transparently.
- Refer Safely: Maintain a trusted network of LGBTQIA+ providers (start with OutCare).
- Provide Access: Offer virtual mental health services where care is restricted.
- Trauma-Informed Approach: Acknowledge lived experiences. Normalize emotional responses to discrimination.
Education & Advocacy
- Train colleagues in LGBTQIA+ cultural competency (OutCare, GLMA offer free modules)
- Advocate within your institution for inclusive policies, even when statewide law is regressive
- Build cross-discipline alliances: social workers, nurses, legal counsel, DEI officers
Resources for LGBTQIA+ Youth & Their Support Circles
If you are LGBTQIA+ youth, parents, teachers, and/or allies, we stand with you.
Crisis Support & Hotlines
- The Trevor Project — 24/7 Crisis Support independent of 988.
1-866-488-7386 | Text “START” to 678678
thetrevorproject.org/get-help - Trans Lifeline — Peer-run and confidential.
1-877-565-8860
translifeline.org - LGBT National Help Center — Youth and senior talk lines.
1-800-246-7743
lgbthotline.org - Love is Respect — National teen dating violence support including LGBTQIA+ relationships.
1-866-331-9474 | Text “LOVEIS” to 22522
Support & Education for Families
- PFLAG Chapters
pflag.org - Q Chat Space – Peer-moderated online groups for LGBTQIA+ teen
qchatspace.org
References
“We’re Not Going Anywhere: LGBTQ+ Health Equity Must Not Be Abandoned”
OutCare Health (2025). https://www.queerty.com/were-not-going-anywhere-lgbtq-health-equity-must-not-be-abandoned-20250605
“Trump Administration Orders Termination of National LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Lifeline Effective July 17th”
The Trevor Project – 988 Shutdown Report. Published: June 18, 2025.
“Protect Trans Care Now: Tell Congress to Oppose the Criminalization of Gender-Affirming Care”
ACLU Action Page – H.R. 3492
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-trans-care-now
“UC Berkeley experts react to U.S. Supreme Court ruling on medical care for trans minors”
UC Berkeley News. Published: June 18, 2025.
Fenway Health – The Fenway Institute
https://fenwayhealth.org/about/commitment-to-lgbts/
GLMA On-Demand CE/CME Access
https://www.glma.org/on-demand_ce_cme.php
Campaign for Southern Equality
https://southernequality.org/emergency-help/
Lambda Legal — State Specific Policies
Response to Tragic Death of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was fatally shot in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was an innocent bystander participating in the “No Kings” protest—a nationwide day of defiance denouncing President Donald Trump’s authoritarian actions such as threatening freedom of the press and speech in universities to authorizing mass deportations without due process. Ah Loo was caught in the line of fire by a stray bullet when unsanctioned armed peacekeepers shot a nearby man who pulled out an AR-15 rifle during the protest. Ah Loo was taken to the hospital, where he eventually died.
Ah Loo devoted his life to serving his family and the Utah Pacific Islander community. As a former Project Runway contestant and self-taught fashion designer from Samoa, he relentlessly advocated for Pacific Islander artists. His own designs challenged fashion norms by merging elements of modern design with traditional Pacific Islander attire, showcasing his heritage on a global stage. In his free time, Ah Loo voluntarily tailored and created clothing for people in need, often refusing payment for his work.
We, at National APAMSA, are deeply saddened by the loss of Ah Loo and his powerful voice for representation and diversity in the fashion industry and Pacific Islander community. His loss is deeply felt not only by the Samoan and wider Pasifika communities, but also by anyone who believes in the power of creativity to inspire change. To Ah Loo’s family, his wife Laura and their two young children, and the community who are mourning him, we send our deepest condolences.
APAMSA reaffirms its stance denouncing gun violence as expressed in our policy compendium. The death of Ah Loo was senseless and avoidable, reflecting the devastating consequences of unchecked violence, open-carry policies, and failure to ensure protest safety. The presence of untrained, armed peacekeepers acting outside of official oversight directly contributed to this tragedy. This instance also raises questions about who has power, who is protected, and who is left vulnerable—even when their intentions are peaceful. We urge lawmakers, protest organizers, and community leaders to prioritize public safety. No one should have to fear for their life while standing for what they believe in.
If you would like to support his family, please consider donating to the GoFundMe in honor of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo.
For questions or more information about this statement, please reach out to the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Director, Caitlin Tanji, at nhpidirector@apamsa.org and Rapid Response Director, Brian Leung, at rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
Statement on ICE Raids in Los Angeles
Following the Trump Administration’s plan to push for mass deportations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided multiple communities in the Los Angeles area on Friday June 6, 2025, detaining over 100 people. This action mirrors similar immigration arrests in cities across the nation such as San Diego and Chicago. Federal agents, often equipped with military gear and traveling in armored vehicles, have increasingly targeted workplaces and courtrooms to increase arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants in the United States. This surge in activity comes amid ongoing concerns about unsanitary conditions, inadequate health and medical treatment, and other rights violations at detention facilities. Since January 2025, further policy changes have eliminated protections for locations such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship from ICE activities. This has instilled fear in undocumented individuals, making them hesitant to access essential health services due to the risk of arrest and detention.
At National APAMSA, we are dismayed by these immigration sweeps, which directly threaten the health and safety of immigrants, a concern explicitly expressed in our policy compendium. These raids prioritize quotas set by the Trump Administration rather than ensure public safety, leading to overcrowding and an increased number of deaths in ICE facilities. A 2024 report by the American Immigration Council found no correlation between ICE operations and lower rates of violent crime despite the Trump Administration’s repeated claims that many immigrants are “committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans.” We have seen the rights of immigrants being violated, despite decades of legal precedent of equal protections afforded by the Constitution for all persons in the United States. Please help us stand up for the rights of immigrants and inform others about their fundamental protections
Call to Action
- Speak with your Congressional representatives about your concern for the violation of immigrant rights. To find your Representative and Senators, please use the following website: https://www.congress.gov/contact-us
- Inform all community members of their rights and about available resources. Please see below for a list of resources.
Resources:
ACLU – Know Your Rights
Immigrant Defense Project – Know Your Rights infographics and fact sheets (also available in multiple languages)
Stop AAPI Hate – Community Resources
Immigrant Legal Resource Center – Red Cards to place in cars and at home
Email Script to Congress
Subject: Urgent: Oppose ICE Raids and Military Violence Against Protesters
Dear [Representative/Senator Last Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent living in [Your ZIP Code]. I am writing with deep concern about the Trump administration’s cruel and inhumane immigration enforcement and violent suppression of peaceful protests.
I urge you to take a firm stand against ICE raids in Los Angeles and throughout the U.S. These raids do not just target undocumented immigrants — they also intimidate and harm documented immigrants. Families are being separated, children traumatized, and entire communities pushed into fear and silence.
Undocumented immigrants are the backbone of our country. They do the labor that many Americans are unwilling to do, often under brutal and hazardous conditions. From working in fields under extreme heat and air pollution, to dangerous construction sites and underregulated factories, these workers sustain critical industries — with little or no workplace protection.
Despite these conditions, undocumented immigrants pay over $37.3 billion in state and local taxes every year, including $8.5 billion in California alone. They are our neighbors, colleagues, and essential contributors to our country.
And yet, the Trump administration responded with cruelty — targeting not just those undocumented, but also documented immigrants with new restrictions, denials, and deportations.
To make matters worse, this administration has used the National Guard and military force against peaceful protesters, weaponizing power against people who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. Peaceful dissent is a hallmark of American democracy — not a threat to be met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
I urge you to:
- Publicly condemn ICE raids and the targeting of immigrant families.
- Oppose any militarization of protest response.
- Support legislation that protects immigrant communities and ensures humane treatment.
- Defend our right to protest without fear of violence or retaliation.
Please act now to protect our communities and uphold justice.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Call Script:
Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent calling from [Your City, ZIP Code].
I’m calling to express my deep concern about the Trump administration’s cruel and aggressive immigration enforcement and the violent use of military force against peaceful protesters.
I urge [Representative/Senator’s Last Name] to:
- Publicly condemn ICE raids, especially those happening in Los Angeles and across the country. These raids tear families apart and push entire communities into fear — including many documented immigrants.
- Oppose the militarization of protest responses. Peaceful protest is a constitutional right — not something to be met with tear gas or rubber bullets.
- Support legislation that protects immigrant communities and ensures they are treated with dignity and humanity.
Undocumented immigrants are the backbone of essential industries in our country. They work in harsh and dangerous conditions that many others won’t — often without protections — yet still contribute over $37 billion in state and local taxes.
We need leaders who will protect communities, not terrorize them. Please tell [Representative/Senator’s Last Name] to stand up for human rights and democracy.
Thank you.
For more information or questions regarding this statement, please contact our Rapid Response Director, Brian Leung, at rapidresponse@apamsa.org and our Southeast Asian Director, Fern Vichaikul, at seadirector@apamsa.org.
South Asian Reproductive Health Webinar
🌸 Let’s Talk Reproductive Health! 🌈
Join us for The South Asian Reproductive Health Webinar as we spotlight reproductive and LGBTQ+ health challenges within the South Asian community.
✨ Featuring powerhouse speakers including Dr. Suneela Vegunta — board-certified internist and women’s health expert from the Mayo Clinic.
📅 June 24th | ⏰ 7 PM CDT / 8 PM EDT / 5 PM PDT
💻 Zoom ID: 971 1699 9699 | 🔒 Passcode: 4S
Gain invaluable insights into culturally competent care, advocacy, and the unique challenges South Asian patients face. Whether you’re pursuing primary care, OB/GYN, internal medicine, or any specialty — understanding intersectional health disparities is key to becoming a more compassionate, effective physician.
For questions, please contact our South Asian Director, Shravani Khisti (she/her), at sadirector@apamsa.org
Tiffany Chen, National Conference Director (Speaker Relations)
Network Director
Tiffany Chen is a first-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco. She was born in China and immigrated to Southern California at the age of 14. She completed her B.A. in Public Health and Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Before medical school, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at UCSF. Tiffany is passionate about serving immigrant and limited English proficiency (LEP) communities. Since her undergraduate years, she has volunteered as a health interpreter and served as a leader of the Volunteer Health Interpreters Organization at UC Berkeley, providing free interpretation and translation services across the Bay Area. At UCSF, she currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) local chapter. Her academic and professional interests lie in clinical research, health disparities, and immigrant and women’s health. She is also deeply committed to mentorship and education to support disadvantaged populations. Ultimately, she hopes to combine her passions for research, advocacy, and community engagement to improve healthcare access and outcomes for the community.
Katherine Chua, National Conference Director (Speaker Relations)
Network Director
Katherine (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who is part of the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved (PRIME-US). She is a second-generation Chinese Filipino American from Santa Clarita, California. Katherine graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a B.S. in Human Biology and Society and a minor in Asian American Studies. As a medical student, she has been involved in student organizations that promote health equity in underserved communities across the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and bring to light the systemic injustices they face. She serves as co-chair of APAMSA at UCSF and co-president of the Filipino American Medical Student Association (FAMSA) at UCSF, where she strives to foster a supportive community of medical students and enhance diverse representation in medicine. Beyond health equity, she is also passionate about mentorship, ethnic studies, and expanding educational access. Katherine aspires to become a physician advocate who provides patient-centered care and partners with local leaders to create community-driven programs in underserved areas.
Jeanna Shaw, National Conference Director (Communications)
Network Director
Jeanna Shaw is a medical student at the University of California San Francisco. She was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area in an immigrant household and has dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was 3 years old. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with Highest Honors with a degree in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology from Harvard University, where she completed an honors thesis studying an induced pluripotent stem cell therapy for myocardial infarctions. Now a medical student, she serves as the Community Engagement co-chair and Advocacy chair at UCSF and is excited to step into the role of Logistics Co-director for the 2026 APAMSA National Conference. Jeanna is passionate about tackling healthcare inequities, particularly in immigrant communities with a specific focus on maternal healthcare disparities and structural barriers to healthcare literacy and access. In her free time, she loves art and music, running, and enjoying the outdoors.
Nelson Lin, National Conference Director (Logistics)
Network Director
Nelson Lin (he/him) is a medical student at the UC Berkeley – UCSF Joint Medical Program. His interests include language justice and cardio-metabolic health within AAPI communities. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball and making matcha lattes.
Brian Tangsombatvisit, National Conference Director (Logistics)
Network Director
Matthew Kim, National Conference Director (Finance)
Network Director
Matthew Kim is currently a first-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He was born in Glendale, California, and raised in La Cañada. He completed his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis, worked as a Process Engineering Intern at Genentech, and spent his gap year at Stanford University as an Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Radiation Oncology, where he contributed to imaging-based cancer research and health access disparities.
In addition, Matthew has remained committed to service and mentorship throughout his journey. At UCSF, he currently serves as the Admissions Advisory Council Coordinator as a liaison for APAMSA and the admissions committee to support and connect incoming students who identify with the AANHPI community with school resources. He now acts as the NC Financial Director for the 2026 National Conference. He is passionate about equitable health access, community-centered care, and the intersection of medicine, technology, and education, and he hopes to continue his interests as he pursues a career in Radiation Oncology or Diagnostic Radiology.