PARENTS’ EXPERIENCES NAVIGATING GENDER AFFIRMING CARE FOR THEIR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER DIVERSE YOUTH

Abstract

Previous research has shown that accessibility to gender affirming healthcare can benefit the physical and emotional health of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth and reduce their increased risk for suicide attempts and substance abuse. Due to their legal and developmental status as a minor, many TGD youth must rely on their parents to navigate how to receive affirmative care from a knowledgeable provider. Using data from the “The National Parents and Primary Caregivers of Trans and Gender Diverse Youth Survey,” my thesis aims to understand the current prevalence, accessibility, barriers, and provider quality of gender affirming care from the experiences of parents and caregivers (N = 1,480) of TGD youth. I identified several common healthcare barriers experienced by parents, including insurance exclusions of gender related services and a limited number of knowledgeable providers leading to greater distance required to travel and longer wait times before TGD youth can receive affirmative care. In order to address these barriers and improve accessibility to the benefits of gender affirming care, results suggest a need to increase inclusive insurance coverage for TGD youth and their parents, comprehensive medical education in providing care for TGD patients, and legal permission to practice gender affirming healthcare services.