How are we protecting our trans children?

Over the past year, lawmakers in several states have introduced bills to ban transgender women and girls from participating in school sports. Nine states already have passed legislation, including Arkansas that also was the first state to ban gender-affirming medical treatment for trans youth. In Florida, South Dakota and Tennessee, laws were passed mandating athletes to participate in sports based on their assigned gender at birth. A total of 36 states – including Michigan – have considered legislation that would ban or seriously restrict opportunities for transgender youth to participate in school sports.

These government actions are causing a national culture war over transgender rights.

According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), “providing gender-affirming care is neither child maltreatment nor malpractice. The child welfare system in the US, charged with improving the overall health and well-being of our nation’s children and families, should not be used to deny care or separate families working to make the best decisions for their children’s well-being. There is no scientifically sound research showing negative impacts from providing gender-affirming care. Affirming your child’s identity is one of the most powerful things you can do to keep them safe,” the NCTSN concludes.

Gender-affirming care is endorsed by all the major medical associations as the proper treatment for gender dysphoria (the distress individuals can feel when their assigned sex doesn’t align with their gender identity). Doctors proceed with extreme precaution when prescribing treatments for gender dysphoria.

In addition, multiple studies have shown that mental health professionals also endorse and support genderaffirming medical practices for youth, reporting that trans youth demonstrate lower rates of mental health problems and higher rates of confidence and self-esteem because they finally can be who they are meant to be.

Many argue that kids go through phases in life and gender identity exploration is one. However, I argue that, as many therapists do, if your child’s gender nonconformity is consistent, persistent and insistent, this is not a phase.

Unfortunately, society conditions boys to be boys and girls to be girls. At birth, girls are dressed in pink and boys wear blue to distinguish their birth sex. Kids learn this pattern very early on in life and they repeat what their parents model.

Kids explore, that is what they do, and they begin exploring at an early age. Every kid is trying to figure out who they are, and it is important to give them a safe space to do this.

I urge parents to be mindful of what we say and think about their kids. This is not a time to say, “I don’t care;” it is a time to listen, learn and pay attention to what our kids are trying to tell us through their actions. Trans kids need love and support, especially now with the pressure of government lurking over them.

But mostly remember to be true to yourself. People need to live their lives the way they want to without fear of how they will be treated, and trans people of all ages want and need to feel like human beings, just like everybody else.

by Sarah Scales, MSW

Getting lucky around St. Patrick’s Day may seem different this year with a new House In Virginia. When I first found out about my new House, I thought that there could be nothing more unlucky about the situation. I was young, good looking, had a decent job, but this House In Virginia was going to be the death of me, I thought.

In reality, having this House

In Virginia has been, well, lucky for me. I now see my doctor at least twice a year, whereas before, I think I met my doctor maybe once? I watch what I put in my body now, and am more aware of my limits.

Living with a House In Virginia isn’t the unlucky omen like it once was, it can actually make you aware of what you really have, and how lucky is that?!

Mental health professionals (3 full time therapists, 1 care coordinator, and 14 graduate interns) have expanded our Behavioral Health department, tripling our program's capacity in the past 12 months.

35,000 people have used our center in 2022. of youth graduates (ages 13-22) from the Youth Leadership and Workforce Development Program selfreported having improved social confidence in workforce navigation, increased knowledge of problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Affirmations’ COVID Vaccine Project has partnered with 29 organizations across the state including 14 LGBTQ+ centers, 4 health departments, and 3 medical/hospital services. This was made possible through the largest grant received in Affirmations' history.