Gender-Inclusive Pedigree Charts

Pedigree charts are one of the most requested topics that we get from visitors to our website. We have built a guidance document below that will be continually updated. You can also view it on Google Docs.

Image https://www.theknowledgeroundtable.com/tutorials/decoding-pedigrees-made-easy/ What is a pedigree chart? A pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence of phenotypes through several generations of genetically related individuals. Because a pedigree chart is often confused with a family tree, and uses symbols to differentiate males and females, it is important for educators to give clear and inclusive messaging to their students about these charts.

Doctor's Rec: WPATH Standards of Care for “Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People”

The overall goal of the SOC is to provide clinical guidance for health professionals to assist transsexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming people with safe and effective pathways to achieving lasting personal comfort with their gendered selves, in order to maximize their overall health, psychological well-being, and self-fulfillment. This assistance may include primary care, gynecologic and urologic care, reproductive options, voice and communication therapy, mental health services (e.g., assessment, counseling, psychotherapy), and hormonal and surgical treatments.

While this is primarily a document for health professionals, the SOC may also be used by individuals, their families, and social institutions to understand how they can assist with promoting optimal health for members of this diverse population.

Kaiser Permanente Transgender Care follows the WPATH standards of care and the 2009 Endocrine Society Guidelines, as well as a companion document for voice and communication change. Click through to access this file in 18 different languages.

"Individual self-esteem, healthy relationships w/ parents & peers, and GSAs are most common protective factors." (J Prim Prev)

Protective Factors Among Transgender and Gender Variant Youth: A Systematic Review by Socioecological Level

From abstract

Transgender and gender variant (GV) youth experience elevated risk for poor health and academic outcomes due mainly to social experiences of stigma and discrimination. To supplement the growing evidence on health risks encountered by transgender/GV youth, we identified factors theorized to be protective for these youth across all four levels of Bronfenbrenner's socioecological model (individual, relationship, community, societal). We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed research. The articles included in this review were published in peer-reviewed journals in English or Spanish between 1999 and 2014, analyzed data from a sample or subsample of transgender or GV participants with a mean age between 10 and 24 years, and examined the relationship of at least one theorized protective factor to a health or behavioral outcome. Twenty-one articles met inclusion criteria. Transgender/GV youth in included articles ranged from 11 to 26 years of age, were racially/ethnically diverse, and represented varied gender identities. Within these articles, 27 unique protective factors across four levels of the ecological model were identified as related to positive health and well-being. Self-esteem at the individual level, healthy relationships with parents and peers at the relationship-level, and gay-straight alliances at the community level emerged as protective factors across multiple studies. Our findings underscore the relative lack of research on transgender/GV youth and protective factors. Novel recruitment strategies for transgender/GV youth and better measurement of transgender identities are needed to confirm these protective relationships and identify others. Growth in these areas will contribute to building a body of evidence to inform interventions.

Citation

Johns et al. (2018) Protective Factors Among Transgender and Gender Variant Youth: A Systematic Review by Socioecological Level. Journal of Primary Prevention. 2018 Jun;39(3):263-301. doi: 10.1007/s10935-018-0508-9.

Doctor's Rec: Statement from American Academy of Pediatrics

The official American Academy of Pediatrics published (link to summary article) 9 clear recommendations for caring for youth and adolescents who identify as transgender or gender-diverse.

I highlight the portions that specify providing health care according to what the youth wants, especially to match the youth’s gender expression. Not parent, guardian, teacher, staff member, administrator, guidance counselor, etc.

[Aside: You may have heard a FoxNews Glenn Beck headline about an anti-gay-marriage hate group calling itself “American Pediatricians” creating a hoax claiming supporting a transgender youth is abuse. Read more about how Snopes debunked this, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics’ internal presentation recommending affirming a child’s gender expression (pdf). —RXS]

1. that youth who identify as TGD have access to comprehensive, gender-affirming, and developmentally appropriate health care that is provided in a safe and inclusive clinical space;

2. that family-based therapy and support be available to recognize and respond to the emotional and mental health needs of parents, caregivers, and siblings of youth who identify as TGD;

3. that electronic health records, billing systems, patient-centered notification systems, and clinical research be designed to respect the asserted gender identity of each patient while maintaining confidentiality and avoiding duplicate charts;

4. that insurance plans offer coverage for health care that is specific to the needs of youth who identify as TGD, including coverage for medical, psychological, and, when indicated, surgical gender-affirming interventions;

5. that provider education, including medical school, residency, and continuing education, integrate core competencies on the emotional and physical health needs and best practices for the care of youth who identify as TGD and their families;

6. that pediatricians have a role in advocating for, educating, and developing liaison relationships with school districts and other community organizations to promote acceptance and inclusion of all children without fear of harassment, exclusion, or bullying because of gender expression;

7. that pediatricians have a role in advocating for policies and laws that protect youth who identify as TGD from discrimination and violence;

8. that the health care workforce protects diversity by offering equal employment opportunities and workplace protections, regardless of gender identity or expression; and

9. that the medical field and federal government prioritize research that is dedicated to improving the quality of evidence-based care for youth who identify as TGD.

Citation:

Jason Rafferty (2018) Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics Sep 2018, e20182162; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-2162 (direct pdf)

Victimization of Transgender Youths Linked to Suicidal Thoughts, Substance Abuse (Journal of Adolescent Health)

In two peer-reviewed papers, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have found that transgender adolescents are twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts as the general population, and they are up to four times as likely to engage in substance use. Depression and school-based victimization factored heavily into the disparities in both cases.

Read more: https://cns.utexas.edu/news/victimization-of-transgender-youths-linked-to-suicidal-thoughts-substance-abuse

Irresponsible scientific research and media portrayals are hurting trans people. Do better.

In this article in Massive Science, neuroscientist Elysa Carr calls for authors to avoid essentialist biases and treat all identities, non-binary, gender nonconforming, trans, or cis, as equally valid. Carr advises scientists to consider how research on the genetics of human behavior can impact marginalized communities when the research is misinterpreted or abused.