Monday, during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine, the first high-ranking openly transgender official confirmed by the U.S. Senate, argued for health policy to support “trans youth” given what she deemed to be vulnerabilities to their mental health.
Part of the recommendation was for “gender-affirmation treatment” in states where state legislatures had blocked it.
“Well, you know, trans youth are vulnerable, and they suffer significant harassment and bullying, sometimes in schools or their community,” Levin said. “They have more mental health issues, but there’s nothing inherent with being transgender or gender diverse, which would predispose youth to depression or anxiety. It’s that harassment and bullying. Now they are suffering politically motivated attacks through state actions against these vulnerable transgender youth. This is not based upon data. These actions are politically motivated. And so we really want to base our treatment and affirm and to support and empower these youth, not to limit their participation activities in sports and even limit their ability to get gender-affirmation treatment in their state.
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