A Pediatric Provider’s Guide to Supporting the Family of a Gender-Expansive Child or Adolescent

Abstract

Sexual and gender-minoritized youth, especially those who are gender-expansive (GE)*, are at increased risk for mental health complications including anxiety, depression, suicidality, and substance abuse. From a minority stress perspective, this increased risk may be attributable to external and internal stressors associated with minority status such as abuse/harassment, victimization at school, institutional discrimination, and fear of rejection. Medical curricula lack training on these disparities and how to care for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or other sexual/gender identities) patients, particularly those who are transgender. While pediatric providers must learn to provide competent care for all individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, this review focuses on the needs of GE youth and their families. *Gender expansive is an umbrella term that refers collectively to transgender, gender-questioning, non-binary, gender-diverse, or gender-variant individuals.