Doctor's Rec: 64,000+ pediatricians recommend gender-affirming treatment for children based on best available evidence

A September 2015 presentation from the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that treatment recommendations are based on the best available evidence. Their guidance defined three approaches to gender dysphoria in children: “corrective,” “supporting,” and “affirming,” with the AAP advising the “affirming” approach to gender dysphoria in children.

Goal: Help child and family decipher subjective gender experience and differentiate those with persistent transgender identity from those exploring gender non-conforming expression

Tenets

• Gender variations are not disorders
• Gender may be fluid and not always binary
• Some transgender youth can be distinguished from non-transgender youth prior to puberty

Strategies
• Assist youth and families in learning about and engaging in gender transitioning, such as social and medical interventions

Why do we believe in Affirming approach?

• Affirming does not mean encouraging or pushing gender transition

• Children rejected and not supported are at increased risk of the following during adolescence: – Depressive symptoms, low life satisfaction, self-harm, isolation, posttraumatic stress, incarceration, homelessness, and suicidality

• Family acceptance and support during adolescence is tied to the following in young adults: – Positive self-esteem, high social support, positive mental health, less depressive symptoms, greater self-esteem, greater life satisfaction (compared with youth whose families were non-supportive)

Citations: D’Augelli, Grossman, & Starks, 2006; Garofalo, Deleon, Osmer, Doll, & Harper, 2006; Hill, Menvielle, Sica, & Johnson, 2010; Roberts, Rosario, Corliss, Koenen, & Bryn Austin, 2012; Skidmore, Linsenmeier, & Bailey, 2006; Toomey, Ryan, Díaz, Card, & Russell, 2010; Travers et al., 2012

Why do we believe in Affirming approach?

For those whose gender dysphoria persists, affirming gender non-conformity is affirming the child’s core gender identity…

We think that early treatment will lead to a better physical and psychosocial outcome.

Sources:

1. Kim Lacapria. (2016) American Pediatricians Issue Statement That Transgenderism Is ‘Child Abuse’? It was an official-sounding but fringe group of politically motivated pediatricians who issued a statement on gender, not the respected American Academy of Pediatrics. Snopes (6 May 2016) (pdf).

2. Robert Garofalo. (2015) Understanding Gender Nonconformity in Childhood and Adolescence. American Academy of Pediatrics (September 2015). (pdf).