Announcement by SIG Board
ABCT Sexual and Gender Minority SIG Condemns Governor Abbott’s Attack on Transgender Texans
ABCT Sexual and Gender Minority SIG Condemns Governor Abbott’s Attack on Transgender Texans
The ABCT Sexual and Gender Minority Special Interest Group condemns in the strongest possible terms Texas Governor Abbott’s actions which harm the health and well-being of transgender young people and their families. We stand with our transgender members and broader community, as well as with the American Academy of Pediatrics in supporting the rights of transgender people to access gender affirming health care.
Earlier this week, Gov. Abbott sent a letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) falsely claiming that affirming health care for transgender youth constitutes “child abuse,” and asking licensed professionals and the public to report instances of affirming healthcare. Abbott’s actions are a hateful attack on human rights and the dignity of transgender young people.
Decades of research, including by our very own SIG members, demonstrate that gender affirmative care saves lives. Transgender people face increased risk for suicide due to the discrimination and invalidation they routinely experience (Rood et al., 2015; Puckett et al., 2021). Access to gender affirming healthcare is associated with reduced suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (Hughto et al., 2020), decreased depression and anxiety symptoms (Baker et al., 2021), and improved quality of life among transgender individuals (Baker et al., 2021). Moreover, the standards of care for transgender healthcare (as outlined by both the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the American Psychological Association’s practice guidelines) embraces a gender affirmative model. Gov. Abbott’s directive is antithetical to science, and actively harms transgender youth and their families.
We call on Gov. Abbott to reverse this decision immediately. We also encourage our members to take action to support the transgender community in Texas, and in other states where similar efforts are being made.
For more information about how you can help in Texas:
References:
Earlier this week, Gov. Abbott sent a letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) falsely claiming that affirming health care for transgender youth constitutes “child abuse,” and asking licensed professionals and the public to report instances of affirming healthcare. Abbott’s actions are a hateful attack on human rights and the dignity of transgender young people.
Decades of research, including by our very own SIG members, demonstrate that gender affirmative care saves lives. Transgender people face increased risk for suicide due to the discrimination and invalidation they routinely experience (Rood et al., 2015; Puckett et al., 2021). Access to gender affirming healthcare is associated with reduced suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (Hughto et al., 2020), decreased depression and anxiety symptoms (Baker et al., 2021), and improved quality of life among transgender individuals (Baker et al., 2021). Moreover, the standards of care for transgender healthcare (as outlined by both the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the American Psychological Association’s practice guidelines) embraces a gender affirmative model. Gov. Abbott’s directive is antithetical to science, and actively harms transgender youth and their families.
We call on Gov. Abbott to reverse this decision immediately. We also encourage our members to take action to support the transgender community in Texas, and in other states where similar efforts are being made.
For more information about how you can help in Texas:
- Advocacy organizations: Equality Texas (link), Transgender Education Network of Texas (link), Central Texas Transgender Health Coalition (link)
- Community organizations: Trans LifeLine (link), Thrive Youth Center (link), OutYouth (link)
- Write to Gov. Abbott (link) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (link)
References:
- Baker, K. E., Wilson, L. M., Sharma, R., Dukhanin, V., McArthur, K., & Robinson, K. A. (2021). Hormone therapy, mental health, and quality of life among transgender people: A systematic review. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 5(4), bvab011. https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvab011
- Hughto, J. M. W., Gunn, H. A., Rood, B. A., & Pantalone, D. W. (2020). Social and medical gender affirmation experiences are inversely associated with mental health problems in a U.S. non-probability sample of transgender adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(7), 2635–2647. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01655-5
- Puckett, J. A., Aboussouan, A. A., Ralston, A. L., Mustanski, B., & Newcomb, M. E. (2021). Systems of cissexism and the daily production of stress for transgender and gender diverse people. International Journal of Transgender Health, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2021.1937437
- Rood, B. A., Puckett, J. A., Pantalone, D. W., & Bradford, J. B. (2015). Predictors of suicidal ideation in a statewide sample of transgender individuals. LGBT Health, 2(3), 270–275. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2013.0048
