Increasing attacks on gender-affirming care have hindered transgender and non-binary youth's access to health and social services. As of May 22, 25 states, home to 39% of America's transgender youth, have enacted laws and policies that make it more difficult for transgender youth to access life-saving gender reassignment care, according to KFF.
Studies have shown that access to gender-affirming treatments, including non-surgical options like puberty blockers and hormones, and lower rates of depression and suicide among trans youth. Trans youth are more vulnerable to experiencing poor mental health than their cisgender peers. . It is important to note this association, especially for adolescents. That's because it has been shown that people who receive treatment early in adolescence are less likely to have had suicidal thoughts in the previous year.
Simply put, restricting access to gender-affirming care not only prevents transgender and non-binary youth from coming out as themselves, but can also be downright detrimental to their long-term health and safety.
We're from Florida and Arkansas, two states that have attempted to ban gender-affirming therapy. Fortunately, each has been blocked temporarily, partially and permanently. We have seen firsthand the harmful effects of politicizing gender reassignment treatment in our own backyard. Lawmakers across the country are still considering dozens of bills that could put many communities at risk of losing access to gender-affirming care.
We need to advocate for lawmakers to keep people out of doctor's offices and for everyone, including trans youth, to make personal health care decisions with their families and health care providers. – Taking action can help promote inclusion for gender-diverse youth everywhere.
Meet patients where they are
Young people who identify as transgender or gender diverse already have higher rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide. Gender affirming care, defined as “medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and non-binary people,” supports a person’s gender identity as an essential component of their overall health profile. Even social and legal interventions, such as changing one's legal name or using pronouns that match one's gender identity, can have a positive impact on someone's psychological well-being.
Health care systems are uniquely positioned to provide support to transgender and gender diverse patients, even in states where they face legal limitations. Digital mental health and wellness resources can provide a safe space, especially for transgender youth who may be struggling to access health care. While limitations on gender-affirming care impact medical care, mental health care offers a real opportunity to bridge the gap through virtual resources. This is especially important for people living in rural communities, who, even in states that allow it, can feel socially and emotionally isolated without close access to gender-affirming health care providers.
For example, Q Chat Space, a CenterLink project in partnership with PFLAG and Planned Parenthood, is a virtual community that aims to “help LGBTQ+ and questioning teens find community and connect with peers in a supportive environment.” Chats are led by trained facilitators who make up a team of staff and volunteers from national LGBTQ+ Center youth programs.
Virtual resources like these are cost-effective and can be a stepping stone to connect young people to more resources that can be more uniquely tailored to their mental health needs. Institutions, including universities, have adopted similar models of having LGBTQ+ centers on campus, but recent anti-DEI legislation has forced some centers to close, further highlighting the growing importance and urgency of fostering community for LGBTQ+ youth. there is. In the face of opposition.
Provide financial assistance to patients who need to travel for treatment
We cannot overstate the importance of providing timely gender-affirming care. The onset of puberty, along with numerous physical changes that cannot be reversed without puberty blockers, can worsen gender dysphoria and accompanying mental health issues in trans youth. In states with restrictions and bans on gender-affirming treatment, families must travel to other states to get the care and resources they need. These barriers disproportionately impact low-income trans patients and their families who cannot afford the transportation costs needed to receive care.
In the wake of these bans, grassroots mutual aid efforts have been instrumental in providing financial support for patients to travel to states that offer both gender-affirming care. Nonetheless, financial needs persist. Sponsors and family insurance plans could adopt a similar model of reimbursing eligible families for costs associated with travel for gender-affirming treatment across state lines if such treatment is not offered in their state of residence.
Financial assistance for travel-related health costs is not a new concept. Some employer-sponsored health care plans already offer this coverage for certain procedures, and now, increasingly, postnatal abortions as well.Dobbs age.
Put Transgender Rights on the November Ballot
This election season, transgender and nonbinary rights and freedoms will be on the ballot. The bare minimum is to elect representatives with an agenda that acknowledges the existence and needs of trans youth, rather than effectively erasing them by banning invasive gender-confirming treatment.
Transgender youth live in fear that they will not receive the care that will give them peace of mind in a world filled with vitriol. Gender-affirming care gives them the opportunity to feel like themselves, allowing them to spend more time doing the things they love instead of getting caught up in politics. Even in “blue states” like California, conservative activists and Republican lawmakers are pushing anti-transgender initiatives that specifically target young people.
Clinicians, donors, organizations, and advocates can all work together to advance policies and laws that make the country a safer place for transgender and non-binary youth. Gender reassignment treatment is health care. It saves lives and is here to stay.