Health professionals that help transgender and gender diverse individuals follow a standard of care for their gender transitions. Our office follows those published by WPATH, or the World Professional Association of Transgender Health.
Clients are not expected to read the standards of care of course, but I think it helps to be aware of them. Their website is a good resource for health providers across the country.
The standards of care provide guidelines for transitional and primary health for:
- Children, adolescents and adults
- Transgender and Nonbinary individuals
- Eunuch identified indivduals
- Intersex individuals
The standards of care also provide information regarding:
- Hormonal care
- Surgical care
- Voice and speech therapy
- Sexual care
- Reproductive care
- Mental health
- Institutional care
There are other standards of care published around the world. In the United States, the most popular standard, aside from WPATH, is the University of California San Franciso (UCSF) “Guidelines for the Primary and Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary People” which are found here. Both WPATH and UCSF hold conferences and provide education for health professionals.
