Trans and gender diverse youth (TGDY) face unique challenges that impact their mental health, well-being, and access to essential resources. Research underscores the critical role of gender affirmation in improving outcomes for TGDY, showing that supportive family environments and access to gender-affirming care significantly reduce risks of suicide, becoming homeless, and the incidence of substance abuse disorders. This growing body of research highlights the importance of fostering inclusive policies and practices to ensure that these young people can thrive.
Currently, the US Supreme Court is hearing US v. Skrmetti, a case that challenges the constitutionality of the state of Tennessee to ban gender-affirming care, such as restricting hormone therapy. SCOTUS’s ruling in this case will impact other state-level care for transgender youth and affect parental control over medical decisions.
To provide the public and policymakers with a better understanding of the barriers confronting trans and gender diverse youth, the American Sociological Association (ASA) has published the report Public Policy and the Well-Being of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth in the United States: A Sociological Resource for Public Understanding by Harry Barbee and Kathleen E. Hull, with the ASA Committee on the Status of LGBTQ People in Sociology. Access the full report here .
Key points from the report include:
About the American Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association, founded in 1905, is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to serving sociologists in their work, advancing sociology as a science and profession, and promoting the contributions to and use of sociology by society.