BOSTON — The Boston City Council has passed a new resolution reaffirming the city’s commitment to “gender-affirming care for all residents,” vowing to protect access amid what members described as “growing challenges facing the LGBTQIA2S+ community.”

The move came just as one of the city’s most prominent medical providers — Fenway Health — announced it would no longer provide puberty blockers or hormone treatments for patients under 19, citing new federal restrictions that could threaten its federal funding. The decision, effective October 1, highlights the gap between Boston’s political pledges and what is happening inside its healthcare network.

Fenway Health, which serves more than 30,000 patients across New England, said the change was necessary to comply with updated federal guidance. The organization remains one of the country’s leading centers for adult gender-affirming care but confirmed the youth program’s end earlier this month.

The City Council’s resolution carries no funding and no legal authority. Supporters framed it as a statement of solidarity, emphasizing that Boston should remain a national leader in inclusion and public health. The measure follows the city’s March 2025 declaration designating Boston a “Sanctuary City for the LGBTQIA2S+ community.”

Critics, however, note that the resolution is largely symbolic, offering no concrete path to restore youth care that local clinics have withdrawn. While city leaders push inclusive messaging, providers are under increasing pressure to comply with federal limits tied to grant funding and medical research oversight.

The developments leave Boston in a complicated position — officially committed to expanding access while seeing that access shrink in practice. The council’s gesture signals the city’s political stance, but it does not change the fact that one of its flagship healthcare providers has scaled back services for minors.

Boston’s latest resolution keeps the city in the national spotlight on LGBTQ+ health policy — but for families affected by the Fenway decision, the message may feel more symbolic than real.