APRIL 2, 2026
On Transgender Day of Visibility, visibility is often celebrated—but visibility without protection, without advocacy, and without action can leave trans people more exposed than supported.
If you want to protect trans young people, you must be willing to understand that history and actively work to do better.
For many LGBTQ+ and BIPOC young people, medical spaces are shaped by a long history of discrimination and harm, leading to real and justified mistrust. If you want to protect trans young people, you must be willing to understand that history and actively work to do better. Hint: The work doesn’t stop at knowing the right terminology or checking boxes on an intake form.
Affirming Care for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ Young People
That’s where our affirming care elearnings come in. These modules offer a concrete way to move from awareness to action—deepening understanding of medical discrimination, exploring how mistrust is formed, and building the skills needed to provide inclusive, healing-centered, and affirming care.
What's the History Behind Medical Mistrust in BIPOC Young People?
What's the History Behind Medical Mistrust in LGBTQ+ Young People?
Over the course of about 45 minutes, completed at your own pace, each elearning module explores the historical context as well as the lasting impact of medical mistrust on these specific communities.
Along with interactive activities exploring how to respond to the concerns of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ young people, these modules also include tips for ways that healthcare providers can build trust with their patients. We’ve also created practice guides where you can learn more about putting affirming care into practice.
What Is Affirming Care?
How Do I Put Affirming Care into Practice?
What Cis People Can Do Right Now
Affirming care isn’t just the responsibility of healthcare providers. Cis people don’t get to sit this moment out. If you benefit from systems that center and affirm your identity, then you also have a responsibility to challenge the ways those same systems harm others.
Here’s what you can do:
- Interrupt transphobia when you hear it. Whether it’s a joke, a policy, or misinformation—silence allows harm to continue. Speak up.
- Respect names and pronouns—every time. This is a baseline, not a bonus. Consistency builds trust and signals respect.
- Advocate for inclusive policies. Support schools, clinics, and organizations that prioritize gender-affirming care and equity.
- Educate yourself—and others. Don’t rely on trans people to do all the teaching. Seek out resources, listen, and stay accountable.
- Believe young people. Trust young people to know who they are. Affirmation can be lifesaving.
