March 31, 2022
by Dr. Patty Pinanong, USC Student Health
Today we celebrate the resilience and success of our gender diverse (trans+) community. Through allyship, the medical community would like to explore how to be a meaningful resource and source of support. When people think about seeing a health care provider, they may focus on an immediate issue. At Student Health, this could be a tumble off a skateboard, an asthma attack, or other symptoms that might lead to a diagnosis and treatment. Yet patients are more than a collection of their anatomical parts. As medical providers, we strive to see the whole person in front of us and support their journey to take charge of their health and wellness.
For students here at USC, some are starting to explore their identity. How do I fit in? What is my most authentic self? How do I express who I am? Do I feel safe being myself in the wider world? By the time a gender diverse individual reaches college, they might have already used medical services or may be just beginning to consider gender affirming services such as hormone therapy or surgery. The research on trans+ experience tells us that creating a safe space to explore gender identity and expression is not only the best patient-led care model, it is of critical importance to the overall mental and physical health of an individual.
Supporting gender identity in adolescence has positive benefits to overall well-being and mental health, as gender diverse adolescents are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, suicide attempts and self-injury than their cisgender counterparts. In 2021, The Trevor Project did a National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health. They found that transgender and nonbinary youth who had their pronouns respected and were able to change their name and/or gender markers on legal documents reported lower rates of attempting suicide.
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is the leading global organization which provides research-based recommendations on standards of care for transgender and gender nonconforming people. It is very clear that there are significant positive benefits to social, mental health, and gender-affirming medical care. Efforts can be straightforward as respecting one’s chosen name, providing appropriate gender markers on identity documents, and using correct pronouns. In partnership with campus partners such as Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX (EEOTIX), LGBTQ+ Student Center and Student Government, we are working to implement those changes.
Caring for transgender patients is an opportunity to really listen to our patients and provide the care that cultivates their well-being. This is the therapeutic alliance that we want to create with everyone who walks through our doors. We also recognize the need to invest in our ability to be allies and advocates for our trans+ community by mobilizing our resources within USC and beyond. This serves us well in caring for all patients, but especially people from communities that historically experience greater barriers to accessing services. This is our challenge, and it inspires us to renew our commitment to honor the people who entrust us with their health care.
Patty Pinanong, MD, (she/her) is the lead physician for gender-affirming care at USC Student Health, Keck Medicine of USC, and is a clinical assistant professor of family medicine in the Keck School of Medicine of USC. She acknowledges her perspective as a cisgender, heterosexual individual and welcomes diversity of thought.
Additional reading:
Transgender Adolescent Suicide Behavior, in Pediatrics.
Studies: Suicide attempts high among transgender teens, increasing among black teens, American Academy of Pediatrics News.
