Assessing the Impact of Trans-Affirmative Medical Care on Youth Development: Perspectives of Trans Youth and Their Parents in Canada
The past decade has witnessed significant change in medical care for trans youth. A well-established pathologizing approach focused on asserting a young person’s assigned gender has been challenged by a growing number of experts who favour a model that supports gender exploration (e.g., by providing access to hormonal treatments and puberty blockers). Based on interviews with 36 parent-youth dyads (72 interviews in total), this article explores the expectations and impacts associated with medical transition. On the one hand, the interview data show that young people and their parents agree that access to trans-affirmative medical care has a positive impact on youth development. Specifically, it is seen to reduce suffering associated with gender dysphoria, while promoting both self-recognition and intersubjectivity. On the other hand, the interview data highlight the extent to which available health care pathways (often based on a binary approach) have failed to keep pace with the expectations and concerns of youth and their parents. Our article therefore emphasizes the importance of offering transaffirmative care adapted to the needs of youth seeking to transition.