On the Pulse

Pride Month and Beyond: Finding Hope and Caring for All Kids

6.13.2023 | Erin Moore

A hand drawn rainbow with Thank You! underneathOriginally published on the Children’s Miracle Network.

Pride Month is here and as some in-person celebrations resume, political leaders across the country have introduced a record number of legislative bills targeting the very LGBTQ+ rights Pride Month honors.

Among those called into question is the right of transgender and non-binary youth to access gender-affirming care, a form of healthcare that supports and affirms an individual’s gender identity and expression.

Legislation to ban gender-affirming care up to age 18 passed in Idaho and Montana in April. Around the same time, Washington state passed a shield law to protect people seeking, providing or helping others obtain reproductive or gender-affirming care in Washington. These bills affect patients and families as well as Seattle Children’s Gender Clinic care teams.

Gender-affirming care can include using a patient’s chosen name and pronouns as well as a range of medical interventions. The Gender Clinic, which opened in 2016, provides gender-affirming medical care for adolescents, including puberty blockers, gender-affirming hormones and mental health support.

By providing a welcoming and affirming care environment, everyone can play a role in creating a safe space and a positive healthcare experience for gender-diverse patients.

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