Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago facing harassment for gender affirming care - Axios ChicagoLog InLog InAxios Chicago is an Axios company.

Lurie Children' s Hospital facing harassment for gender affirming care

The Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Photo: Jeff Schear/Getty Images Pediatric facilities nationwide, including Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital, are facing harassment and false claims about the gender-affirming care they offer. Why it matters: The harassment is driven by Libs of TikTok, a Twitter account whose posts are amplified by the conservative group.It targets hospitals that provide crucial gender care ranging from talking to children about their identities to hormone treatments and surgery for those over 18 years old. Flashback: The American Medical Association last year to oppose legislation that limits gender-affirming care for youth, calling it "medically necessary, evidence-based care that improves physical and mental health." What's happening: A man calling himself Billboard Chris showed up at Lurie last week with a sign suggesting children are being given puberty blockers against their will.The Awake Illinois Twitter account called him a hero for it. (H their rally Other hospitals targeted by Libs of TikTok include a and .And Boston Children's Hospital is over its program for treating transgender and nonbinary youth. Source: What they're saying: "We stand in solidarity with our transgender patients and families, community, and colleagues who are providing gender-affirming care," "We strongly condemn any threats on and harassment toward the transgender community." The intrigue: An urged "foodies" to boycott Lettuce Entertain You Enterprise (LEYE) restaurants because Awake Illinois leader Jessica Hockett, an and programs, is married to Wow Bao executive Tim Hockett. Reality check: LEYE representatives say Tim Hockett hasn't worked there since 2020. Wow Bao, previously owned by LEYE, was acquired by a private equity firm in 2017. LEYE says it no longer manages the brand, but because it holds a minority stake. Of note: Wow Bao did not make Tim Hockett available for comment, and Awake Illinois and Libs of Tik Tok did not respond to interview requests. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

More Chicago stories

No stories could be found Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Chicago.Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.