American Psychological Association takes a stand against bans on gender-affirming care for minors
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/american-psychological-association-takes-a-stand-against-bans-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors/ar-BB1j7ndE?ocid=windirect&cvid=190f03f90411406fb392a7daea7f8164&ei=12
Story by John Russell (29 Feb 2024)
The American Psychological Association (APA) announced a new policy resolution Wednesday opposing state laws restricting access to gender-affirming care for minors.
The resolution was approved by the organization's Council of Representatives by a 153–9 vote, with one abstention, on February 24, and represents a major refutation by the largest psychological association in the world of many of the anti-trans talking points that have been used to bolster efforts to ban gender-affirming care in states across the U.S.
The APA affirmed its support for "unobstructed access to healthcare and evidence-based clinical care for transgender, gender-diverse, and nonbinary children, adolescents, and adults," as well as increased public access to "timely and accurate information founded in clinical and psychological science."
Laws restricting access to gender-affirming care, the policy statement read, "disregard the comprehensive body of psychological and medical research supporting the positive impact of gender-affirming treatments" and "disrupt not only the role of providers in offering evidence-based care but also obstruct patient and parental rights in shared decision-making."
The bans pose "a direct threat to the mental health and emotional well-being of transgender, gender-diverse, and nonbinary youth, exacerbating the already high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts among this vulnerable population" and heightening "the risk of negative mental health outcomes among children, adolescents, and adults."