Citation

Georges E, Brown ECB, Cohen RS. Pediatrics 2024; 153(1): e2023064292.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

10.1542/peds.2023-064292

PMID

38115759

Abstract

In recent years, we have witnessed a dangerous trend of transphobia and prejudice toward transgender and gender diverse (TGD) children. In 2023 alone, >495 anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning bills have been introduced, many of which have passed into law.1 These legislative efforts operate under the guise of protecting children. In reality, they punish caregivers and physicians when they choose to support children. They deny children access to routine health care that has been shown to decrease dramatically high rates of suicide and depression for TGD youth.2,3 They fuel discriminatory rhetoric, which negatively impacts the mental health of TGD children and imperils their safety.4

This article has 2 main aims:

to refute the idea that gender-affirming care (GAC) is child maltreatment; and

to demonstrate how withholding GAC is harmful to children and amounts to state-sanctioned medical neglect and emotional abuse.

Gender identity is...

Language: en