Right now, it is a challenging time to be a transgender person in America. States across the Union are passing laws that negatively impact the trans community.

These laws target almost every facet of a transgender person’s identity and expression, from access to medically necessary transition related care, legal recognition of gender identity, access to gendered spaces, and/or the ability to play in sports. A sub-group of the community that has been disproportionately impacted by anti-trans legislation are trans youth.

Proponents of these laws say that medical care for trans youth is “experimental” or causes harm. Nothing could be further from the truth. In a majority of cases, supporting a youth in their gender identity has profoundly beneficial effects. As Connolly, et al., notes, “Gender-affirming medical therapy and supported social transition in childhood have been shown to correlate with improved psychological functioning for gender-variant children and adolescents.” Conversely, trans youth who lack social support and access to gender affirming medical interventions are at high rate of depression, eating disorders, suicide, and other psychosocial problems.

Given the positive impacts of supporting trans-youth in their transitions, legislation targeting trans youth is unscientific and immoral.

These laws force trans-kids to be more than just kids–it forces them to be activists for their own survival. Today, it is not uncommon to see trans-youth offer public testimony against regressive and hateful legislation. This exposes trans youth and their families to the most ugly and hateful elements of our society. As much their bravery and passion should be praised, no trans youth should have to be anything but a happy, healthy kid.

As a society and medical community, we must do better to support trans youth in their social, medical, and legal transitions. We must speak up and reject hate and unscientific laws and rhetoric. For those youth who choose to stand up for their rights, we should stand beside them in support and fight together for a day that no trans kid should have to be an activist for their own survival.

References:

Connolly, Maureen D., et al. “The mental health of transgender youth: Advances in understanding.” Journal of Adolescent Health 59.5 (2016): 489-495.