Gender-affirming care for minors is a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to supporting transgender and nonbinary children and adolescents. It aims to align their physical traits and social experiences with their gender identity to improve their overall well-being and mental health
. Key components of gender-affirming care for minors include:
- Social Affirmation: This involves changes such as adopting a new name, pronouns, hairstyles, clothing, and using facilities that match their gender identity. Social affirmation can occur at any age and is fully reversible
- Puberty Blockers: These are medications that pause the development of secondary sex characteristics during puberty, giving young people time to explore their gender identity before any permanent changes. Puberty blockers are typically used during early puberty and are considered reversible
- Hormone Therapy: Starting in early adolescence, hormone treatments (testosterone or estrogen) may be used to develop physical traits aligned with the individual's gender identity. Hormone therapy is partially reversible and involves careful medical supervision
- Gender-Affirming Surgeries: Surgical interventions, such as chest reconstruction ("top surgery") or genital surgeries ("bottom surgery"), are generally reserved for adults or selected adolescents and are not reversible
The process of providing gender-affirming care usually involves a multidisciplinary team including healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and family members, ensuring decisions are individualized and made with informed consent
. Research shows that gender-affirming care improves mental health outcomes for transgender and nonbinary youth, reducing depression, suicidality, and distress associated with gender dysphoria
. Major medical organizations endorse these practices as evidence-based and essential for the well-being of gender-diverse minors
. In summary, gender-affirming care for minors is a holistic, evidence-based approach that supports young people in living authentically according to their gender identity through social, psychological, and medical interventions tailored to their needs and developmental stage
