{"id":51446,"date":"2025-12-03T21:23:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T21:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/51446\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T21:23:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T21:23:45","slug":"trans-activist-groups-to-protest-dr-ozs-lehigh-valley-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/51446\/","title":{"rendered":"Trans activist groups to protest Dr. Oz’s Lehigh Valley visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trans activist groups are expected to protest Dr. Mehmet Oz\u2019s planned speaking appearance Friday at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce\u2019s sold-out Lehigh Valley Healthcare Summit.<\/a><\/p>\n

Oz, the former celebrity doctor and Senate candidate, is the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and will be delivering the summit\u2019s opening address: \u201cThe CMS Vision: Affordable and Accessible Care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eastern PA Trans Equity Project has planned a protest, claiming that Oz\u2019s actions in President Donald Trump\u2019s administration have dismantled the health care system, including overseeing the largest increase in premiums for Medicare and Affordable Care Act health plans; advocating for denying coverage of reproductive health care for people on Medicaid; and publicly advocating for eliminating gender-affirming health care for adults and youth under the age of 19.<\/p>\n

Oz said this year that Medicaid dollars should not be used for gender reassignment surgeries or hormone treatments in minors, claiming they could cause irreversible harm.<\/p>\n

Corinne Goodwin, executive director for Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, said they have volunteered with the local chamber\u2019s LGBTQ Business Council, and said the chamber had been wonderful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt surprised me even more that they invited this individual in to speak,\u201d Goodwin said.<\/p>\n

Another advocacy group, Queer and Trans Lehigh Valley, has reached out to its followers, urging them to contact the chamber to reconsider hosting Oz. Robin Gow, representative for Queer and Trans Lehigh Valley, said some of Oz\u2019s specific policies have targeted trans people, especially youth\u2019s access to gender-affirming care.<\/p>\n

His policies, Gow said, are not rooted in science.<\/p>\n

\u201cEssentially it is an attack against gender-affirming care,\u201d Gow said, noting that there is no political motivation, and the group would be protesting if Oz shared the same views but was a member of another political party.<\/p>\n

Gow said the group\u2019s main concern is with Oz\u2019s stance on gender-affirming care, which Gow said is a wide-ranging term that can include things like therapy, and is not exclusive to trans people. Gow noted that studies have shown that that care has led to reduce depression and suicide ideology.<\/p>\n

The fear is that people will lose access to it, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just see it having a really detrimental ripple effect for our community,\u201d Gow said.<\/p>\n

Frank Facchiano, the chamber\u2019s chief operating officer and executive vice president, said the event, which has been held several times in the past, is focused on costs of health care and health insurance. Oz speaking, he said, is to let guests know what is going on at the federal level.<\/p>\n

The chamber reached out to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a speaker, and they offered Oz, he said. The chamber thought it would be good to hear from him.<\/p>\n

Goodwin said it has been pretty clear what has been going on at a federal level. They said Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Pennsylvania\u2019s secretary of human services, would have been a good alternative. She could speak to what the state is doing to help people affected by changes at the federal level, Goodwin said.<\/p>\n

Goodwin said they hope the chamber changes its mind. If not, members of Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, joined by members of Queer and Trans Lehigh Valley, will be there protesting in hopes that attendees can call Oz out on the issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a free country and we support the right to peacefully protest anything,\u201d Facchiano said in response to the protest. \u201cIncluding this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The health care summit will be Friday morning at Aster Event Center at 621 Grange Road, Upper Macungie Township.<\/p>\n

A message sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seeking comment was not returned.<\/p>\n

Oz is one of several people scheduled to speak during the summit, which brings together health care professionals, business leaders and community members to discuss the region\u2019s health care landscape, according to the event\u2019s website.<\/a><\/p>\n

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