Why Gender Affirming Care Matters to Me

Gender affirming care (GAC) has been really top of mind lately- I think for a ton of different reasons.

1. It's been in the news a bunch lately: unfortunately mostly because of state legislatures blocking access to care for people.

2. I did a training on how to write Gender Affirming Care letters recently! (more on that below)

Just to make sure we're on the same page- let's define what gender affirming care is.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), gender affirming care is: "any single or combination of interventions... designed to support and affirm an individual's gender identity".

Pretty broad definition but that's because the practice itself is pretty wide and varied!

We tend to think of GAC for folks who identify as transgender, non-binary, gender fluid, and the like. But most people engage in some form of GAC. (Including people who identify as cis- that is, they identify as the gender they were assigned at birth).

How we cut our hair, which clothes we pick, which workout plans we choose (I'm looking at you all of the "grow your butt" and "get big shoulders" workout plans on Instagram*), which name we go by, and how we use our vocal chords are all examples of ways we explore, play with, and define our genders.

This list doesn't even include more intensive procedures like plastic surgery, fillers, hair loss protocols and the like. But all kinds of people are getting those done too- for many reasons but certainly as part of expressing and enjoying their gender identity.

It's completely unfair to say that cis folks can use GAC in the above ways but no one else can.

That doesn't make sense.

And when something doesn't make sense to me- I don't subscribe to it.

I fully support humans getting the care they need to live their fullest, most joyful expression on this Earth.

annnnd... that's why I'm now a Gender Affirming Care letter writer!

I'm embarrassed to say I did not know that I could be one- I thought you had to have an MD! But in the course of a training I've been doing, the trainer stated that LCSWs can, in fact, write these letters.

I've been consulting with Shannon Smith- a therapist in Baton Rouge who's been writing these letters for years- and she's signed on to consult with me so we can make sure these letters get folks the care they need.

Info:

Gender Affirming Care letters, revisions, and edits will be provided free of charge for those seeking care.

I will have a small number of spots available each month.

If you or someone you know needs a letter and is in a position to pay for it, they are welcome to do so because that will save a free spot for someone else.

If anyone you know is interested, have them email me at ehamiltonwohl@gmail.com

Have a safe and happy Pride month!

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*the fact that I don't have to tell you which of those workouts is "geared towards 'women'" and which is "geared towards 'men'" tells you how much we assign certain traits to certain "genders". And how much time, money, and energy people spend on GAC already! Including cis folks.