In the News: Gender-affirming surgery linked to better mental health

Transgender people who have access to gender-affirming surgery report better mental health outcomes, according to a new study. The report, published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery, compared the psychological distress levels, suicide risk and substance use in transgender and gender diverse people who had undergone gender-affirming surgery with those who wanted such procedures but had not yet had them. “This study adds to a growing body of evidence showing affirmation in all forms can be life-saving for trans and gender-diverse people,” said lead author Anthony Almazan, a fourth-year medical student at Harvard Medical School. “Policies that limit access to care can put lives at risk. Our evidence shows we should be expanding gender-affirming care, not limiting it.” You can read the NBC story here.