Transgender youth care misconceptions lead physicians, researchers to set the record straight

Medical care for transgender youth has been the focus of legislation across the country in recent years.

Restrictions on access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth have been passed in at least 23 states, many of which have faced legal challenges that argue such bans violate the rights of the youth, their families and their medical providers.

Healthcare providers who specialize in the field of gender-affirming care say misinformation has clouded the general understanding of what it means for transgender minors and their families.

ABC News spoke with physicians and researchers to dive into the most discussed topics surrounding gender-affirming care.

Gender-affirming care looks different for every person, says Joshua Safer, an endocrinologist and executive director of the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery.

He says patients, their physicians and their families work together to build a customized and individualized approach to care, meaning not every patient will receive any or every type of gender-affirming medical care option.

«There is no one-size-fits-all approach to care for transgender people or treatment for gender dysphoria,» said Kellan Baker, the executive director of the Whitman-Walker Institute, an LGBTQ research organization and care provider.

Baker said the decision to pursue gender-affirming care is often a lengthy process that includes teams of medical care providers and mental health professionals who work with families to talk about their child's experience, their needs, their choices, and more.

«We're talking months of appointments with a mental health specialist. We're talking lots of conversations between providers, parents, and kids,» Baker said in an interview. «We are talking