This new publication introduces the basics of Gender Affirming
Care for TGD youth. It outlines the changes involved in social
affirmation, gender-affirming medical care, and gender-affirming
surgical care. It also highlights the scientific research
underlying these practices as well as the positive outcomes
associated with them.
BOSTON, April 30,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Twenty-four states have
barred access to gender-affirming care (GAC) for transgender and
gender diverse (TGD) youth, while countless discriminatory bills
targeting TGD communities have been introduced across the country.
In the wake of this assault on the rights and safety of TGD youth,
The Fenway Institute has released a policy brief titled
"Gender-affirming care for adolescents: Understanding the
fundamental components and scientific support for lifesaving gender
affirmation" which outlines the importance of gender-affirming care
for TGD youth and outlines the medical and scientific evidence that
supports it.
Many of the anti-transgender bills
introduced across the nation have been advanced by reactionary
political movements weaponizing misinformation and disinformation.
It's critical that we promote a common understanding for those who
might not be familiar with the basics of Gender Affirming
Care.
This new publication seeks to introduce readers to the basics of
GAC for TGD youth. It outlines the changes involved in social
affirmation, gender-affirming medical care, and gender-affirming
surgical care. In addition, it highlights the scientific research
which underlies these practices as well as the positive outcomes
associated with GAC for TGD youth.
"Many of the anti-transgender bills introduced in legislatures
across the nation have been advanced by reactionary political
movements weaponizing misinformation and disinformation. In
addition, public discourse surrounding GAC for TGD youth is often
distorted by political actors who deliberately misrepresent GAC in
an effort to target politically vulnerable communities," said
Thomas Freitag, MPP, a Research
Fellow at The Fenway Institute and Harvard
Medical School student who authored the brief. "It's
critical that we promote a common understanding for those who might
not be familiar with the basics of GAC. Parents and guardians of
TGD youth can also face an uphill battle as they work to sort out
the science from the speculation. We wanted to create a publication
that put accessible data into the hands of those who are being
targeted by transphobic misinformation."
As of April 29, 2024, twenty-four
states have laws in place which impede access to gender-affirming
medical care for TGD youth. Five make providing such care a felony.
Some bills go as far as to mandate that school staff involuntarily
disclose TGD children's gender identity to their parents.
Restrictions on GAC have been introduced despite strong opposition
from a number of major medical bodies, including the American
Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, the American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Pediatric
Endocrine Society.
Lawmakers have introduced many of these bills under the pretext
of GAC for TGD youth being ineffective or "experimental", despite
decades of research which support its efficacy, safety, and
importance for the wellbeing of many TGD youth. Reactionary
political actors have also targeted medical institutions providing
GAC to youth and grossly misrepresented the care they deliver,
which has led to harassment of providers and threats of
violence.
"Health care practitioners and parents should have the full
range of options available to offer the best care possible for
young people," said Dr. Alex
Keuroghlian, MD MPH, Director of the National LGBTQIA+
Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute and an Associate
Professor at Harvard Medical School who
reviewed the issue brief. "The safe and effective use of carefully
prescribed, age-appropriate care for transgender and gender diverse
youth is supported both by research and by the experience of
caring, expert clinicians who want to help their transgender and
gender diverse patients thrive. The government should not interfere
by restricting and criminalizing health care practitioners and
overruling parents when it comes to getting transgender and gender
diverse youth the care they need."
The publication lays out each of the major components of GAC for
TGD youth. First, it discusses the practices involved in social
affirmation, such as the use of a person's chosen name, affirming
pronouns, and providing a supportive social environment. The brief
then highlights much of the research surrounding social
affirmation, demonstrating how TGD youth who are socially affirmed
experience mental health outcomes comparable to their peers despite
the unique social stressors they often face.
Gender-affirming medical care is then explored in detail, with
discussions of the goals surrounding pubertal suppression and
gender-affirming hormones. The clinical decision-making, physical
changes, and management of side effects associated with these
medications are described in depth. The scientific research which
underlies pubertal suppression and gender-affirming hormone
regimens is subsequently highlighted, with the brief outlining the
numerous demonstrated benefits of gender-affirming medical care and
debunking common myths such as regret rates and the safety of
deferring care until adulthood.
Finally, the brief seeks to clarify the role of gender-affirming
surgical care in GAC for TGD youth, debunking widespread
misrepresentations which have been weaponized by legislators and
transphobic political forces. The select circumstances under which
some TGD adolescents pursue select surgical procedures are
discussed in depth, with a subsequent exploration of the beneficial
outcomes experienced by TGD adults who predominantly access
gender-affirming surgical care.
The brief represents a critical and comprehensive resource in an
era of widespread misinformation. As political forces across the
globe target access to GAC, this Fenway Institute publication seeks
to provide a detailed, accessible, and scientifically-informed
common language that policymakers, parents/guardians, and the
public can use to better understand the needs of TGD youth
everywhere. You can read it online here.
About Fenway Health & The Fenway Institute
Founded in 1971, Fenway Health advocates for and delivers
innovative, equitable, accessible health care, supportive services,
and transformative research and education. We center LGBTQIA+
people, BIPOC individuals, and other underserved communities to
enable our local, national, and global neighbors to flourish. The
Fenway Institute at Fenway Health is an interdisciplinary center
for research, training, education and policy development focusing
on national and international health issues.
Media Contact
Christopher Viveiros, Fenway
Health, 6177217494, cviveiros@fenwayhealth.org, Fenway Health
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SOURCE Fenway Health