Trans Youth Deserve Truth Not Misinformation
Setting the record straight on trans healthcare
We are just over a week into the new administration, and already, policies are being implemented that pose significant challenges for the transgender community in the United States. Just yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order that eliminates federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors (anyone under the age of 19), restricting access to treatments through Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE. These are critical programs that many transgender individuals rely on due to barriers in employment and healthcare access.
This move not only impacts transgender people on a federal level but also emboldens state lawmakers to introduce further restrictions on gender-affirming care. The push for these policies is driven by misinformation and fear-mongering, with many falsely equating hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgeries to "chemical and surgical mutilation" rather than recognizing them as essential medical care.
To combat these harmful misconceptions, let’s take a moment to debunk some of the most egregious myths that have been used to justify these policies.
Myth: Gender-affirming care is harmful to children.
Truth: Research consistently shows that gender-affirming treatments improve mental health outcomes in transgender and nonbinary youth. A 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open found that transgender youth who received gender-affirming care experienced a 60% lower rate of depression and a 73% lower rate of suicidal ideation over a 12-month period. Gender-affirming care is endorsed by every major medical organization, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA) and Endocrine Society, as a safe and necessary treatment for transgender youth.
Myth: Parents are forced to let their children transition.
Truth: Decisions regarding gender-affirming care for minors are made through a carefully regulated process involving healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and parental guardians. According to the Office of Population Affairs, gender-affirming care is not just about medical interventions—it also includes social and psychological support. Parents are deeply involved in the process, and in many cases, access to medical transition is restricted until a young person has undergone thorough assessments and has demonstrated persistent gender dysphoria.
Myth: Puberty blockers are irreversible.
Truth: This is completely false. The Mayo Clinic highlights that puberty blockers, also known as GnRH analogues, temporarily pause puberty and give transgender youth more time to explore their gender identity before experiencing permanent bodily changes. If a young person stops taking these medications, puberty resumes naturally. This reversibility allows transgender youth to make informed decisions about their transition without the distress of experiencing unwanted physical changes.
In reality, gender-affirming care saves lives.
Gender-affirming care isn’t harmful, experimental, or forced—it is lifesaving, evidence-based, and essential. The myths surrounding this issue are designed to instill fear and justify harmful policies that strip transgender people of their human rights. Every major medical organization agrees that denying transgender youth access to care puts them at a significantly higher risk for depression, anxiety, and suicide. Instead of banning care, we should be working to make it more accessible so that transgender youth can thrive.
If this post resonated with you, share it. The more people who understand the truth, the harder it is for misinformation to win. Support by donating to organizations, such as A4TE, ACLU, and Lambda Legal, who are actively fighting for the transgender and nonbinary community as we speak. If you can’t donate, simply have conversations with people in your life and combat misconceptions like the ones listed here. It all makes a difference.
Trans youth deserve truth, dignity, and the freedom to be themselves. We all play a role in making that happen.