Gender Affirming Care For Trans Youth: Why is it important
By Ava Piliang
Gender affirming healthcare is defined as any heathcare given to a trans person that aids in their medical transition, this can include horemone replacement therpy, gender affir part ming surgury, and so much more. It is an extremely vital part in a persons transitions both private and public. Publicly it allows a person to be perceived as the gender they identify with in public, in private a medical transition can terminate gender disphoria (1) and can increrease gender euphoria (2). Gender dysphoria is Gender dysphoria is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. gender euphoria is It means your gender expression matches your gender identity(2). In over 21 states gender affirming heathcare is at risk in the 2022 as there is legislation on the ballot that would restrict or completely eliminate gender affirming heathcare in states includiong Arksansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennesse, and many other states (3). The restriction or elimination of gender affirming care is an extremely important issuee to adress because if gender affirming care get taken away not only will it force transgender people to stay closeted but it will also greatly limmit recourcees for LGBTQ+ people over time, and could also elevate suiside rates among LGBTQ+ (4) people as the lack of support and acceptance of their identity.
Sources:
(2) https://www.theskimm.com/wellness/gender-euphoria