Gender diverse youth face unique challenges in navigating their identities in the midst of peers, families, and current political climates. These conditions have the power to shape the way gender diverse youth interact and present themselves to the world. Access to supportive environments while undergoing gender affirmation is crucial to how these youth maneuver both expected and unexpected physical and social changes that they may encounter. Data consistently shows positive, life-saving benefits of gender affirming care. For instance, a recent study found that treatments including puberty blockers and gender affirming hormones led to gender diverse youth having 60% lower chances of experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms and 73% lower odds of suicidality.
Gender affirming care saves lives, so it is essential to listen to the experiences and needs of gender diverse youth to best understand how to support their mental, emotional, and physical needs during this important part of their lives. In this OutTalk, we will hear from gender diverse youth themselves about how they navigate expected and unexpected parts of physical and social transitions.
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