1. Gender Affirming
Care For
Trans Youth
ARIANA CSERENYI - PSY 209 - MAY 8, 2022

2. INTRODUCTION
In this presentation, I'll be talking about the present condition of healthcare and gender affirming
care for trans people in the United States, with a particular emphasis on trans and lgbtq+ young
people.
This is a topic that is close to my heart because I have many trans/nonbinary friends as well as trans
family members, and because I am also a part of the LGBTQ community, this is an issue that I am
very passionate about.
With that being said, What is gender-affirming care?

3. What is Gender Affirming Care?
Gender-affirmative health care can include any single or combination of a number of social,
psychological, behavioural or medical (including hormonal treatment or surgery) interventions designed
to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity. (World Health Organization 2022)
These therapies are intended to assist transgender persons in ensuring that many aspects of their life,
including their emotional, interpersonal, and biological selves, correspond to their gender identities as
closely as possible. It is conceivable to have a variety of identities ranging from man to woman to a fluid
mix of the two or none at all.
Counseling, changes in social expression, and medications are all examples of therapies that can be
used (like hormone therapy). These therapies are administered at different times depending on a variety
of circumstances, including cognitive and physical development, as well as parental agreement in the
case of children in particular. Gender reassignment surgery for children under the age of 18 is a
relatively uncommon practice.

4. Breaking Down these Therapies
(Hormone Replacement Therapy)
Individual is given levels of estrogen or
testosterone so that they develop sex
characteristics more closely aligned with
their gender identity.
HRT
Typically performed on adults, feminization
operations, bottom gender reassignment
surgery, as well as a double mastectomy
(sometimes known as "top surgery"), are
among the procedures that can be performed.
Surgical Intervention
There are several different therapies
available to assist trans individuals, including
puberty blockers for trans youth who seek to
prevent the onset of the wrong puberty, and
counseling and therapy to assist with the
transitioning process, both socially and in
the within themselves.
Other

5. Current Bans & Policies
*In 2022, there are presumed to be 64,700 transgender youth (ages 13
to 17) living in the states that are considering this kind of
legislature.
Arkansas became the first state to pass anti-trans
laws banning gender affirming services for minors
in 2021. Texas would also restrict trans youth
health treatment in early 2022, claiming that
"those seeking gender affirming care are
committing child abuse." 13 more states are
exploring it as of March 2022.
When transgender children are supported and
have access to the health care they need, they have
the best chance of thriving. This would be taken
away from transgender children under these
proposals.

6. These bills penalize health care practitioners and, in
some situations, families who give or seek
gender-affirming care for kids. In each of these
states, the proposal would either restrict or penalize
health care practitioners who provide
gender-affirming care to minors.
Here is a great chart provided by Movement
Advance Projects, that breaks down the potential
criminal charges and and Punishments to those who
are either seeking GAF* or are the healthcare
professionals providing that care.

7. Trans Refuge Laws
To combat the growing number of anti-transgender legislation targeting transgender youth,
more than a dozen states have proclaimed plans to enact "trans refuge laws." While over 320
anti-trans bills are being taken into consideration across the country, states like California,
New York, Colorado, New Mexico, etc are putting safe haven laws into place, to protect both
trans youth and their parents from further prosecution in their home state. Sen. Scott Weiner
says “"We’re making it crystal clear: we will not let trans kids be belittled, used as political pawns
and denied gender-affirming care." (ABC news 2022)

8. It is proven and shown that people who started hormone therapy in adolescence had fewer suicidal thoughts,
suffered less psychiatric conditions, and less drug addiction than people who started hormone therapy later in life.
When it comes to marginalized and discriminated against people, it is critical that we as a country protect and
assist them, whether they are POC, people living in poverty, or, in this case, trans youth. No one should be
criminalized or pushed into living a life that is lie and untrue from their real identity.
So What is the Importance?
Due to a 2020 survey conducted by the Trevor Project 54% of
young trans/nonbinary individuals reported having seriously
considered suicide, becuase of various forms of discrimination.
And of that 54 percent, 29%
had actually attempted to take
their own lives.
100% of trans youth
54%
29%

9. Assunção, Muri. “Lawmakers in 16 States to Introduce ‘Trans Refuge’ Laws Aimed at Shielding Trans Kids from Penalties When
Seeking Gender-Affirming Care – New York Daily News.” New York Daily News, www.nydailynews.com, 3 May 2022,
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-20220503-ue2te3hcvjbedocjsylfds4wza-story.html.
Boyle, Patrick. “What Is Gender-Affirming Care? Your Questions Answered | AAMC.” AAMC, www.aamc.org, 12 Apr. 2022,
https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/what-gender-affirming-care-your-questions-answered.
Movement Advancement Project. “Movement Advancement Project | LGBTQ Policy Spotlight: Efforts to Ban Health Care for
Transgender Youth.” Movement Advancement Project | LGBTQ Policy Spotlight: Efforts to Ban Health Care for Transgender Youth,
www.lgbtmap.org, https://www.lgbtmap.org/2021-spotlight-health-care-bans. Accessed 7 May 2022.
Matouk, Kareen, and Melina Wald. “Gender-Affirming Care Saves Lives | Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.”
Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, www.columbiapsychiatry.org, 23 June 2021,
https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/gender-affirming-care-saves-lives.
News, ABC. “At Least 19 States to Offer Refuge to Trans Youth and Families amid Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Wave - ABC
News.” ABC News, abcnews.go.com, 3 May 2022,
https://abcnews.go.com/US/19-states-offer-refuge-trans-youth-families-amid/story?id=84472645.
thisisloyal.com, Loyal |. “Prohibiting Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Youth - Williams Institute.” Prohibiting
Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Youth - Williams Institute, williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu, 1 Mar. 2022,
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/bans-trans-youth-health-care/.
Sources Used