On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the American Psychological Association announced in a historic policy resolution that it opposes gender-affirming care bans for transgender youth.
The policy, which passed 153-9, is the strongest yet from the organization in support of gender-affirming care and represents a major consensus among leading psychologists on the importance of gender-affirming care for youth and adults.
However, this policy goes much further than any of those, directly supporting gender-affirming care as medically necessary and opposing misinformation that emerges in legislative hearings targeting care.
The policy emerges amid an international debate on gender-affirming care and seems to directly counter many claims made in hearings targeting such care.
Though the policy document may not convince Republican officials to back off on targeting trans care, it will be important in court fights moving forward.
Findings of fact from places where gender affirming care bans have been overturned often point to the professional consensus on the importance of care.
Similarly, the document will be an important rebuttal to increasing misinformation around transgender care. »
