For Transgender, non-conforming individuals, getting gender-affirming medical care can be difficult, often requiring people to jump through many hoops.
Finnegan O’Brien, a Georgia resident currently on testosterone, said he faced difficulties to receive that care. When O’Brien turned 18, he had to get referrals from his therapist, his psychiatrist, and his primary care doctor who had never seen a trans patient before.
He was referred to Emory’s Atlanta center, but said it took him three years to get an appointment scheduled with them, which he attributes largely to luck. O’Brien said Georgia providers are able to decide what kind of care is needed. Trans and Gender conforming individuals might be forced to comply with different standards based on the doctor or providers restrictions.
“ You have to socially transition for like X amount of time or you have to be out for like X amount of time,” O’Brien said while describing the different restrictions doctors might give.
O’Brien described their gender affirming medical care as life changing.
“The wave of euphoria that you get as you like starts seeing your body change and then having people be more confused when they’re addressing you in public or like slowly moving to sir,” said O’Brien, who has been on testosterone since February 2024 and is taking testosterone shots of .4 milliliters a week.
The ability to receive gender-affirming care can greatly impact the mental health of Trans youth. Trans youth who have access to gender affirming medication had 60% lesser odds of moderate or severe depression during the first 12 months, compared with Trans youth who did receive gender affirming medication.
On July 1, 2023, a Georgia state law went into effect that said anyone under the age of 18 cannot be on hormone replacement therapy or undergo surgery in relation to gender affirming care. The law provides an exception for minors on hormone replacement therapy prior to July 1, 2023.
Jeff Graham, the Executive Director of Georgia Equality said, the law is currently being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Southern Poverty Law Center; however, until the cases are resolved, the law will continue to be in effect.
“This decision takes away the right of parents to work with healthcare providers to make medical decisions regarding their children and their families and that is a fundamental right,” Graham said, highlighting his concerns over the bill.
While the current law only impacts individuals under 18, Sen. Ben Watson, a Georgia Republican who led the efforts to pass the law, is aiming to ban Gender Affirming care for everyone under 18, regardless of whether their care started before July, 2023.
Georgia joins 26 other states that have enacted similar laws either restricting or banning the ability foDr minors to have access to gender affirming care. Many of the laws are being challenged in court, however most of the laws are currently in effect despite this.
