I Don’t Think This Will Change Anything.

A new study show trans healthcare does improve the lives of trans children!

Yet Another Study Shows Gender-Affirming Healthcare Improves Trans Kids’ Mental Health
She Knows
By Sam Manzella
January 23, 2023


Despite the deluge of proposed bans on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth, yet another academic study has proven the validity of this care.

A new report published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that access to hormone therapy is linked to improved mental health among trans and nonbinary kids. As NBC News reported, it is part of a growing body of research establishing the link between gender-affirming care and better quality of life for trans youth.

The report, authored by a group of doctors from children’s hospitals throughout the United States, looked at 315 trans and nonbinary youths ages 12–20 years old who received gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAH) over the course of two years. They were surveyed at multiple points with questions designed to gauge their depression, anxiety, positive emotions, life satisfaction, and “appearance congruence” — in other words, how much they felt their external appearance aligned with their gender identity.

I would like to see a longitudinal research to follow them for more than two years, five years would be nice but ten years better.

These findings echo previous research on the topic. A JAMA study from February 2022 also found that access to gender-affirming healthcare significantly reduced the risk of depression, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts among trans youth.

Now the 64 thousand dollar question.

Will it make any changes with the Republican pogrom against us?

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Unfortunately, transphobic lawmakers have not gotten the memo. Over the past few years, anti-trans bills have been passed or introduced by Republicans in dozens of states throughout the U.S. Many of these legislative attacks are specifically targeting access to gender-affirming healthcare for trans minors. Some, including a particularly absurd bill from Oklahoma introduced earlier this month, even take aim at trans adults.

This year alone, lawmakers have introduced bills targeting gender-affirming healthcare in at least 19 states, per the ACLU’s legislative tracker. And it’s only January 23.

Somehow I don’t see this changing DeSantis, or Abbott, or Greene, or any other Republican. I don’t see them changing their draconian ideology against us.