Supporting the Transgender Community: Gender Affirming Care Resources
For transgender and nonbinary individuals, early and continued access to gender-affirming care is critical to improving confidence and allowing people to use their focus for transitioning socially while navigating the complex and sometimes unwelcoming healthcare system. Gender-affirming care can include social affirmation, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgeries. This care can be life-saving, as it improves the mental health and overall well-being of gender-diverse children, adolescents, and adults.
Gender non-conforming students can find access to gender-affirming treatment at many colleges in the United States and abroad, and healthcare providers working in these schools receive training on gender-affirming, patient-centered care. For younger students, school nurses play an important role in supporting gender non-conforming students by directing them to resources and assuring them that their identities and feelings are valid and meaningful. For adults, healthcare provider education is crucial since many gender diverse individuals report discrimination within the healthcare system.
These resources are made available to anyone in the healthcare field, preparing as a student to work with diverse populations, including gender non-conforming youth, allies, educators, the transgender community, and more. You'll find research articles, helpful websites, links to organizations, and even legal and healthcare resources here. We hope you find these resources informative and helpful, no matter what part of your journey.
Articles
Gender-Affirming Care is Trauma-Informed Care
The National Child Trauma Stress Network released this article, which looks at how gender-affirming care in children can reduce future stress.
Supporting Safe and Healthy Schools for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Students
In this article, you’ll see the results of a major survey that talked with school professionals about the changes needed to support LGBTQ+ students.
Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care
Published in February 2022, this article looks at whether mental health support and gender-affirming care can reduce the suicide numbers among LGBTQ+ youths.
Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth: Current Concepts
Read this recent article to learn more about gender-affirming care, the field’s current concepts, and what needs to change.
Mental Health and Timing of Gender-Affirming Care
Available for free, this article focuses on whether the age at which an individual receives gender-affirming care relates to their mental health.
Factors Associated with Experiences of Gender-Affirming Health Care: A Systematic Review
This systematic review looks at youths’ experiences with gender-affirming care and what factors impacted them in getting it.
Barriers to Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Individuals
Discover the barriers that keep transgender and non-binary people from getting the care and treatment they need in this article from 2017.
The authors reviewed current and past studies to examine the experiences associated with gender-affirming care among youth.
Not only does this article look at the barriers that prevent individuals from seeking gender-affirming care, but it also addresses some possible solutions.
In addition to looking at barriers to health care, this article delves into how some patients feel hated or disliked by their doctors.
Association Between Gender-Affirming Surgeries and Mental Health Outcomes
Released in 2021, this journal article focuses on the link between mental health and when patients received gender-affirming care.
Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Patients
Learn more about the disparities between transgender patients and others in this study that came out in June 2022 and looked at modern treatments.
This study looked at two groups of trans youths to see the impact of gender-affirming medical treatment on their development over time.
Helpful Websites
The Gender Unicorn takes a fun approach to gender and shows how it can fluctuate along with what each term means.
Learning Resources – Transgender Health
This is a great website to visit if you have questions about getting health care as a transgender person or you want to know about the available treatments.
National Center for Transgender Equality
Find a range of helpful resources for transgender youths on this website, which also offers links to resources in different states.
The Trans Hub is a fantastic place for transgender students, including social, legal, and medical help for you and your allies.
Please read through the research studies done by this organization on its website, which also features stories and experiences of transgender people.
This organization was launched to help people whom others look down on and provide them a lifeline in the modern world through free resources.
You can read through the stories on this website to learn from people who are trans or watch some of the videos that cover exciting and challenging topics.
If you feel alone in the world, this website acts as your map with its resources for transgender youths who are in the closet or recently out.
Designed for the loved ones of transgender youths, this site features a range of resources, such as frequently asked questions and local events.
National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition
Members of the black community who are also transgender will find lots of help on this site, such as resources for getting medical help and finding a job.
Trans Student Educational Resources
Also known as TSER, this organization has a website with press releases and offers services such as scholarships, policies, and workshops.
Designed for transgender and Latin people for people in the same community, this organization offers a training course for professionals and services in the LA area.
The Transgender Aging Network offers support for the loved ones of elderly people, including training programs and products to make their lives easier.
Known as MPA, this organization offers information about new and upcoming transgender equality projects and programs nationwide.
Global Action for Trans Equality
GATE is an organization that runs campaigns designed to improve equality for transgender youth as well as those who are intersex or non-binary.
Turn to this website if you have questions about transgender athletes or if you want to learn about the policies used by schools and states.
Videos
Amaze released this short video to discuss some of the changes that happen to their bodies during puberty among transgender youth.
El Camino College – TimelyCare Provides Gender-Affirming Care for Student
In this El Camino College video, you’ll see how TimelyCare supports students who need gender-affirming care when they go to college.
Best Practices for Supporting Transgender College Students | Building Bridges
Building Bridges spends nearly an hour reviewing what colleges can do to support transgender students and help them feel comfortable and confident.
Trans Health: What is Gender-Affirming Care?
York University uses this video to review the fundamentals of gender-affirming care, such as what it means and how to get it.
HRC Explains Gender-Affirming Care
In this video, the Human Rights Campaign details gender-affirming care to help viewers find answers to their questions.
Population Healthy S5 Ep02: Gender Affirming Care
From Michigan Public Health, this video offers a good explanation of gender-affirming care and the benefits it has for transgender youth today.
How Gender-Affirming Care Improves Mental Health
In just over a minute, an expert speaks about the positive impacts that gender-affirming care has on both transgender youth and their loved ones.
Education and Training for Gender-Affirming Health Care
Created by a medical organization, this video examines why education and training are essential for healthcare professionals and their patients.
Planned Parenthood offers videos in both English and Spanish to ensure transgender youth understand what hormones will do to their bodies and the overall benefits.
Basics of Gender-Affirming Care for Health Professionals
Designed for medical professionals, this video helps medical professionals understand how to treat transgender patients and provide gender-affirming care.
Podcasts
Podcast: An Introduction to Transgender Health
This podcast serves as an introduction to transgender health issues and is suitable for members of the community as well as healthcare providers.
Tune in every week to listen as professional and everyday people discuss what it means to be inclusive in today’s world.
The School of Public Health at the University of Michigan designed this podcast to inform listeners about the importance of gender-affirming care.
Podcast: Medical Care and Emotional Support for Transgender Youth
This episode from Kids Health Cast focuses on why transgender kids need both emotional support and medical care from their doctors and others.
Two women use The Gender GP Podcast to discuss identity and other issues in the trans community with others.
Listen Now: Transgender Health Care Today
Listen Now is one of the best podcasts if you are interested in transgender health care and want to know more about its challenges.
The Trans Narrative offers a safe space for transgender youths and others to talk and hear about some of the most significant issues in the community.
Though not entirely about transgender issues, this podcast uses each episode to discuss the common problems affecting the healthcare industry.
The author of a book about gender identity hosts this podcast that gives listeners a safe space to tell their gender experiences and stories.
Allies
Download a copy of this guide from PFLAG organizers to find some ways you can support a trans loved one after they come out.
PFLAG offers many resources for those in need that you’ll find here, including how to become or be a better ally and what you can do to help others.
Straight for Equality: Trans & Non-Binary
Straight for Equality launched in 2007 and now offers helpful online guides and resources on creating an inclusive workplace and other topics.
Be an Ally – Support Trans Equality
Join the Human Rights Campaign to watch online videos and discover tips on being a better ally to those in the trans community.
Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People
This resource is free and introduces how to treat and act around young people who identify as non-binary or transgender.
Tips for Allies of Transgender People
This guide offers many useful tips, such as when to use pronouns, what coming out means, and how to discuss gender topics.
Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally
Find out what it means to be an excellent transgender ally in this guide, which covers when to step up and how to change the world.
Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People
This PDF explains what transgender and non-binary mean, how to avoid common mistakes, and what to do when you make a mistake.
Straight for Equality: Becoming a Trans Ally
PFLAG offers this toolkit that includes information on what pronouns mean and when to use them, worksheets, and tips on becoming an ally.
Legal Resources
Students and professionals worldwide use this guide to learn the basics of case law and how they should act in the courtroom.
Supporting the Rights of Transgender Students and Their Families
Heather Godsey addresses some issues facing transgender students today in this piece and discusses what they and their families can do.
Please read this letter from the organization of the same name to see some of the changes it helped fund and its plans for the future.
The ACLU looks at the rights of transgender people here and includes links to articles about big policy changes and legal challenges.
Work with GLAD to learn more about your legal rights and to get help finding a lawyer willing to fight for you and defend your rights.
Please read through the open letter to learn about the positive impacts of gender-affirming care and then sign it at the bottom to show your support.
Discover a range of resources through this organization, which helps transgender individuals learn about their rights and find legal help.
The Trans Agenda believes that everyone deserves the right to legal help, which is why it funds cases and provides resources to those in need.
Available from the American Bar Association (ABA), this website offers information about the Legal Resistance Network and highlights resistance groups.
See how you can get help from the SRLP on its official website and learn how to get involved and help others in need.
Transgender Legal Services Network
If you or someone you know is transgender and needs legal help, turn to this organization to find lawyers working across the country.
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
This fund offers financial support for transgender people who need help paying for school or mounting a legal defense.
Lambda Legal defends non-binary and transgender people worldwide through financial support and free legal resources.
Health Education for Healthcare Providers and Educators
Transgender & Gender Diverse Inclusive Resources for Your Practice
If you work in the healthcare field, this page is perfect because it offers resources, such as how to examine and help transgender patients.
Pubertal Suppression for Youth with Gender Dysphoria/Gender Incongruence
This article is available as a PDF and looks at how hormone blockers and other treatments that prevent puberty can help transgender patients.
Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8
Version 8 is an updated version of this guide that helps doctors and other medical providers understand the standards of transgender care.
Transgender and Gender Diverse Services
Outside, In is a weekday clinic that helps transgender and non-binary patients receive health care they can’t get anywhere else.
WPATH offers a free directory to search for gender-affirming care doctors based on your location or their name.
Creating Safer Spaces for LGBTQ Youth
Though this PDF toolkit is just a few pages, it covers many helpful topics for community organizations like creating a safe space.
Transgender Health in Medical Education
Created by the Bull World Health Organization, this piece goes over the changes it hopes to see by 2030 and what those changes will mean for the community.
National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center
Discover free resources, educational programs, and much more on this website of an organization dedicated to helping LGBTQIA+ people with their health care needs.
The authors of this piece look at how students think and feel about gender-affirming care based on whether they can access it.
Transgender Health Care: Improving Medical Students’ and Residents’ Training and Awareness
Released in 2018, this article looks at the best practices and methods for making residents and students more aware of transgender topics.
Patient-Centered Care for Transgender People: Recommended Practices for Health Care Settings
The CDC addresses how to put transgender patients first and how to understand their unique needs and the challenges in helping them.
Guidelines for the Primary and Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary People
Recently revised, this guide from UCSF looks at what doctors and other medical professionals should do when caring for non-binary and transgender patients.
Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People
Get a free version of this book in a PDF form that helps you learn about and understand the standards of care for today’s patients.
Compulsory Transgender Health Education: The Time Has Come
Family Medicine published this article by a medical doctor to explain that complete care for transgender is necessary in the modern world.
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