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Medical and Nonmedical Options for Gender Affirmation

Table of Contents


Overview

Gender identity is your inner sense of being male, female, both, neither, or some other gender. And for some people, gender identity can shift or be flexible. There are a variety of terms that people may use to describe their gender identity. For example, people whose gender identity expands beyond the categories of male or female may use the term "gender-diverse."

For some people, their gender identity doesn't match the sex they were assigned at birth. Many go through a process of coming to know, accept, and express their gender identity. This is called gender affirmation. There are many ways to affirm your gender. There are medical and nonmedical options.

Medical options

Medical options for gender affirmation include:

Nonmedical options

Nonmedical options for gender affirmation include:

What parents need to know about gender identity

Children form their gender identity early. Most children start to identify their gender around age 3. For some, their gender identity doesn't match the sex they were assigned at birth. Many transgender and gender-diverse adults remember feeling at a young age that there was a difference between their bodies and their gender identity. Others didn't feel this way until later in life.

Children and teens grow and develop quickly. Before and during puberty, they may feel more like one gender some of the time, and more like another gender at other times. That's why it's important to explore nonmedical or reversible options for those who are transgender or gender-diverse. One example is helping your child live as their identity. They may want to wear the clothes of their gender identity. Or they may want to use a different name or different pronouns.

You can also talk to your child's doctor. There are reversible hormone therapies that can help a transgender or gender-diverse child affirm their gender.


Credits for Medical and Nonmedical Options for Gender Affirmation

Current as of: November 27, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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