Gender Creative or Transgender Youth and Advanced Nursing Practice

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) defines gender dysphoria as "Discomfort or distress that is caused by a discrepancy between a person's gender identity and that person's sex assigned at birth (and the associated gender role and/or primary and secondary sex characteristics)" (WPATH, 2016). Gender creative (GC) and transgender (TG) youth are at high risk for severe mental health disparities if they don't receive competent and timely gender transitioning care. Although awareness and early care of TG youth in specialty clinics is improving and increasing, there is still much effort that is required to eliminate barriers to care at many levels and thus improve outcomes. Nurses, particularly advanced practice nurses, are poised to lead the way in creating safe, inclusive, family centered spaces for TG and GC children, youth and their families as well as acting as vital mentors for other nurses. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the increasing prevalence of GC and TG youth, the significance of inclusive care for GC and TG youth, treatment guidelines, and the impact parents and advanced practice nurses can have on the journey of these youth as they explore and find their place on the gender spectrum.