Gender-affirming care has become a hot topic in the medical field. This is probably because some U.S. states have been rolling back legislation regarding healthcare to gender-nonconforming individuals. No matter what legislatures say, these clients may very likely still show up at our office door. So, just how do we go about providing gender-affirming care?
A significant aspect of providing gender-affirming care is understanding where the client is at with their gender identity. To what degree do they question their gender? How dissonant or how comfortable are they with the present state of their gender? Have they transitioned? Are they seeking services to receive clearance for gender-affirming surgeries?
These questions are hard to ask right off the bat. Signaling to clients that you are a safe person for them to discuss gender can be a helpful first step. For example, including your pronouns in your introduction and asking for theirs may initially demonstrate flexibility with conceptions of gender. They may not be honest about this right away. But providing that information gives them the opportunity to discuss their gender identity down the line.
Gender-affirming care is a vast topic and a large area with a lot for all of us to learn. Having a foundation and basic understanding of what you can do to provide gender non-conforming clients with care tailored to them is a strong start.
There are many great resources out there that can provide further training and information, such as this training by Palo Alto University. This community has experienced unique challenges as well as shared forms of discrimination, but also strives for acceptance of those struggles! Training can give us good ways to support clients in open, accepting, and curious ways.
