Policy Tracker: Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care and State Policy Restrictions
Last updated on April 17, 2024
24
states have enacted laws /policies limiting youth access to GAC
38%
of trans youth (ages 13-17) live in a state with a laws/policies limiting their access to GAC
17
states are facing lawsuits challenging their laws/policies limiting youth access to GAC
22
states impose professional or legal penalties on health care practitioners providing minors with GAC
State laws and policies prohibiting or restricting minor access to gender affirming care have proliferated in recent years. The first state to pass such a law was Arkansas in 2021. By January 2024, that number increased more than five-fold, with states having passed such laws/policies. Most are being challenged in court, though the majority remain in effect.
This tracker provides an overview of these laws/policies and any associated litigation by state, identifying which groups of people are impacted in addition to minors (e.g. providers, parents, etc.), the types of penalties providers face (i.e. professional or felony), the status of legal challenges, and other key information.
Learn more in this short analysis assessing the policy landscape as of January 24, 2024: The Proliferation of State Actions Limiting Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care
What is Gender Affirming Care (GAC)?
Gender-affirming care is a model of care which includes a spectrum of “medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people” aimed at affirming and supporting an individual’s gender identity. Gender-affirming care is a model of care which includes a spectrum of “medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people” aimed at affirming and supporting an individual’s gender identity. Gender affirmation is highly individualized. Not all trans people seek the same types of gender affirming care or services and some people choose not to use medical services as a part of their transition.