What Is Gender Affirming Care?

I’m so happy that I got this question! It gives me the opportunity to explain some things that are often misunderstood.

You might have heard the term gender-affirming care in relation to recent legislative attacks on trans people. Or maybe you read my post “Did the sexual revolution of the 70s lead to a morality decline in the US? Is sex morally neutral?” If it was the latter, thank you! Because I know asked people to follow up with this question.

When talking about trans and non-binary people, gender-affirming care is about supporting them so they can live in a way that matches with how they identify. This does not always mean surgery and hormones. While these may be part of it, the care is going to be different for each person. It could include surgery so that the body more closely matches with how the person identifies.

It could be using hormones to do the same thing. These hormones can be used by adults. They can also be used by kids as a means of blocking the changes that occur during puberty.

Gender-affirming care also includes mental health support. And it can include helping the person navigate the social changes as they present themselves in a way that feels closer to who they are. This might include help changing legal documents. Although currently, this may be difficult or impossible in some states.

But here’s the thing – more cis people use gender-affirming care than trans and nonbinary people.

Confused? I get it. Because almost all of what you hear in the press and on social media links gender-affirming care with trans people.

But check out this definition from the World Health Organization:

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.

So this is going to include the type of haircut you get. And whether or not you color your hair. And whether or not you take steps to limit hair loss.

While we’re on hair, laser hair removal would fall into the same category.

Do you get a manicure? Or do you not because it doesn’t match with your gender identity? All of that falls into gender-affirming care.

Make-up, the clothes you wear, the shoes you wear (and whether or not they have heels, or lifts) all of this is gender-affirming.

If you’ve had surgery to change how your body looks… I was going to do a list, but I couldn’t possibly include everything. Basically any cosmetic surgery can be considered gender-affirming care.

But no one really talks about that. At least at the legislative level. Can you imagine if we put rules on whether or not you could wear makeup? Or rules on what you did with your body, or hair, or clothing? Or on anything that impacts NOBODY ELSE, but made you feel better about yourself?

Because that’s what a lot of the gender-affirming care laws are doing. They are limiting children’s access to care that could help improve their mental health. These laws are attempting to disrupt or eliminate the care plan that kids decide to follow. This plan is decided on by the child, their parents/guardians, and their health care team. And these plans impact nobody else. So ask yourself why they’re trying to limit things that could lead to feeling better about oneself. And can lead to people having a better quality of life. And a potential decrease in suicide.

Why are they trying to limit anything that can lead to a decrease in child suicide?!?

Especially when major organizations that the AMA, the APA, and the American Academy of Pediatrics don’t support these bans?

I wandered a bit from your question, so let me sum up. (I obviously have feelings about this!) Gender-affirming care is anything that a person does that affirms their gender identity.

But let me remind you that we only seem to care and try to regulate it when it feels different to a very vocal and politically active minority.

Until next time, be safe, and have fun!

Have a sex question you want answered? Submit it here: https://milsteinhealthconsulting.com/heydrsue