I’m skipping the general hellos this time because I’m livid and concerned. As a psychologist, a healing provider. I’m so concerned with an email I just got from Florida. I’m recently licensed in Florida and they sent providers a bull $hit email about abusing transgender children. I’m not surprised, I’m just deeply disheartened and disappointed. The email said some b$ like there’s “low-quality evidence” for providing gender affirming care. So wait. So folks from the World Psychological Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and San Francisco State University who put out a bunch of information about how when we support young LGBTQ folks they live and they live safer lives is all lies?! How can that be?!
I’m so disappointed.
We are harming children and adolescents and transgender and gender expansive friends and loved ones. I get it, I’m cisgender and have loads of privilege that come with that. I get it that this isn’t about me. And I do wonder if my silence would be violence here (well and everywhere else). I wonder if I keep my mouth shut about this then I’m contributing to suicide and substance abuse of people born into an incongruent body. San Francisco State University came out with the Family Acceptance Project explaining that the chances of suicidality and substance abuse go down when we invite LGBTQ young people into their families, communities and society. Data indicate we have a chance to actually save lives with kindness.
Also, gender expansiveness far surpasses our time and space. Folks have been gender expansive long before colonialism. Throughout time and culture we have seen people not fit into a binary of “boy” and “girl” gender. I wonder if most folks would land somewhere outside of the binary if we all grew up in a less colonialist environment.
I posted about this on a social media and got a lot of negative comments from people without one bit of data or research to support their opinions. On the other hand I connected with other experts and am grateful to hear of so many folks doing good, supportive work out there. So for the people who want to hate on gender expansiveness, thanks for bringing us together.
Thanks for coming together,
Dr. Joharchi
Soft Heart Psychology 
Thank you for this.
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Thank you for sending this article some love. Much appreciated.
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Dr. J, thank you so much for bringing up this topic. I’m glad you did not stay silent. This is really horrible. I am too aware of the research and understand just how much acceptance and empathy makes a difference in the lives of LGBTQ community. The fact that we are still fighting to simply be kind to people really is some bull.
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Thank you for bringing up the research and how it’s sad that we are fighting to “simply be kind.” I couldn’t agree more! Thank you Dr. Green!
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