gender-affirming care

American  

[jen-der uh-fur-ming kair] / ˈdʒɛn dər əˈfɜr mɪŋ ˈkɛər /

noun

1. medical, social, and psychological approaches and therapies that aim to affirm a transgender patient's identity or align their physical characteristics more closely with their gender: Many transgender Americans struggle to access gender-affirming care in their own city.

   The research team included experts in endocrinology, urology, and gender-affirming care.

   Many transgender Americans struggle to access gender-affirming care in their own city.

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Etymology

Origin of gender-affirming care

First recorded in 2005–10

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gender-affirming care

“If he had not had access to gender-affirming care, I don’t know where we would be,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

A spokeswoman for University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said the agreement protects patient privacy and “resolves a matter principally involving certain alleged gender-affirming care billing practices.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Yet, while testosterone therapy is a well-documented medical treatment for people who have a deficiency, and a key element of gender-affirming care, it’s not really something that the average young man needs.

From Slate ● Sep. 13, 2026

She had always heard stories of the trans children who struggled, were denied access to gendered bathrooms and gender-affirming care, but not many about children like her who had support.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

For now, dozens of hospitals across California still provide gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy and surgical procedures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2025

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