The Perceived Health Implications of Policies and Rhetoric Targeting Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth: A Community-Based Qualitative Study.

Purpose: In early 2021, >50 bills targeting transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth in the United States were proposed; these policies and the rhetoric surrounding them is associated with TGD health disparities. Methods: A community-based qualitative study utilized focus groups with a TGD youth research advisory board to explore their knowledge and perceived impacts of the current policy climate and rhetoric in one Midwestern state. Results: Themes revealed (1) mental health, (2) structural impacts, and (3) messages to policymakers. Conclusions: Discriminatory policies and rhetoric harm TGD youth; health professionals should denounce the harmful disinformation perpetuated by these policies.

Beyond a Shared Experience: Queer and Trans Youth Navigating COVID-19.

As queer scholars engaged in research and practice with queer and trans youth across the United States and internationally, we are deeply concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this vulnerable population. Physical distancing, social isolation, and school closures create challenges for adolescents as they navigate increasing independence from caregivers and more intimate relationships with peers. The challenges of the ongoing pandemic are exacerbated for queer and trans youth as they as they negotiate their sexuality and gender identit(ies) in addition to typical developmental activities. Simultaneously, social work practices that provide critical and lifesaving support for queer and trans youth have been hindered by the closures and other pandemic-related changes to schools and community programs. We present this reflexive essay to deconstruct the notion of a shared experience during this pandemic and elevate the voices of queer and trans youth during this unprecedented moment in time. Through engagement with a small, local group of queer and trans youth, we share the challenges they are facing--particularly the consequences of social isolation and lack of identity-affirming support caused by physical distancing measures. We end by sharing their ideas for social work practice and how they can best be supported during this time. We do this to emphasize variations in the shared experience of a global pandemic and ensure the experiences of queer and trans youth are documented during this moment in history.