Several Pittsburgh groups and local leaders are taking a stand against a Trump administration executive order.

Many hospitals, including UPMC, have stopped or limited some gender-affirming healthcare for patients under the age of 19 to comply with the order. 

Thursday night, Mayor Ed Gainey joined LGBTQ+ activist groups and local organizations, including Trans YOUniting outside UPMC headquarters to call on UPMC to reinstate any services they've stopped providing to young patients.

"Trans rights are human rights and when one is attacked, we all are attacked," Gainey said.

They're protesting UPMC's decision to stop providing some gender-affirming care for patients younger than 19.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January aiming to cut federal support for hospitals that provide that care. The order covers gender-affirming care that includes puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and surgical procedures.

"My name is Corey Fraser, my pronouns are they and them and this is my teen, Salem, they/them also. Salem was scheduled to have top surgery last week. Three days before, we got a call from the surgeon, and he said, 'I'm sorry, I know you need this surgery, but if I do it, I'm pretty sure they will take my department away,'" said Corey Fraser.

"We need you, UPMC, to reinstate that healthcare for these babies," said Dena Stanley, Executive Director of Trans YOUniting.

"UPMC pulling back on gender affirming care is another open and public attack on the trans community. They are trying to push back into the days when we weren't allowed to be who we are," said Kya Scott, program coordinator, Community Center of Pittsburgh.

"I stand here today not on behalf of a city or an office but as myself, as a transgender woman who is alive today because I had access to gender affirming healthcare," said Maria Montaño.

Several public officials and community leaders signed a letter addressed to UPMC's CEO and board of directors -- giving them a list of demands -- including immediately reinstating gender-affirming care for all patients, and should a court order, law, or regulation specifically mandate UPMC to stop such care, to support and fund alternative providers. Also, to establish an advisory committee made up of transgender youth, community leaders, and healthcare professionals to meet before May 1st.

"They say they're the hospital that cares, well care for the fact that you want to make sure that we do what's right by our trans community, if you're the ones that care then make sure that at the end of the day we are doing the things to take care of everybody. If you're worried about Donald Trump, don't bow down, stand up," Mayor Gainey said.

A UPMC spokesperson told KDKA, "UPMC is fully committed to providing exceptional care for all our patients. We continue to monitor and comply with directives coming from the federal government that affect the ability of our clinicians to provide specific types of care for patients under the age of 19. We continue to offer necessary behavioral health and other support within the bounds of the law. We empathize with the patients and families who are directly affected by these ongoing changes."