In 2024, the American Psychological Association published the APA Policy Statement on Affirming Evidence-Based Inclusive Care for Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Nonbinary Individuals, Addressing Misinformation, and the Role of Psychological Practice and Science. This article is a summary of the policy statement.
The policy statement acknowledges that gender diversity is an authentic and legitimate aspect of our diversity as a population. It also recognises that trans people suffer systematic prejudice and mistreatment in society. These intersect with other forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status. Such prejudice and mistreatment cause significant harms to trans people, including mental ill health and suicide.
The policy statement recognises that there is a great deal of misinformation about gender identity and gender affirming healthcare. Such misinformation not only exacerbates the systematic prejudice against the trans community, but has also been used to motivate legislative attempts to restrict access to gender affirming healthcare.
While such misinformation is being disseminated through formal and informal channels, accurate information about gender identity and gender affirming healthcare based on scientific evidence has not been made readily accessible to the public. The policy statement expresses commitment to address and rectify the dissemination of misinformation about gender identity and gender affirming healthcare.
The policy statement recognises that restrictions to access to gender affirming healthcare, such as the legislative bans in the United States, are based on misinformation and disregard the actual scientific evidence on the benefits of gender affirming healthcare for the health and wellbeing of trans people. Such restrictions to access to gender affirming healthcare cause direct harms to the health and wellbeing of trans people, including depression, anxiety, and suicide. The restrictions also violates the rights of people to autonomous decision-making and self-determination.
The policy statement opposes restrictions to access to gender affirming healthcare and specifically criticises the legislative bans on gender affirming healthcare in the United States as being contrary to the principles of social justice, civil rights, and evidence-based healthcare.
The policy statement unequivocally supports access to gender affirming healthcare for trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse children, adolescents, and adults. This is based on the rights of people to autonomous decision-making and self-determination. It is also based on the substantial scientific evidence of the benefits of gender affirming healthcare for the health and wellbeing of trans people.
The policy statement states that access to gender affirming healthcare should be equitable. In the context of the United States, this involves urging insurance providers to offer coverage that addresses the healthcare needs of trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse children, adolescents, and adults.
The policy statement acknowledges that there is substantial evidence showing that gender affirming healthcare has benefits for the health and wellbeing of trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse children, adolescents, and adults. Accordingly, it emphasises that decisions about access to gender affirming healthcare should be based on evidence. Furthermore, it emphasises that accurate understandings of gender identity and gender affirming healthcare based on evidence are important to counter the widespread misinformation on these topics.