evidence: July 8, 2024—A new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found little to no utilization of gender-affirming surgeries by transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) minors in the U.S. The study also found that cisgender minors and adults had substantially higher utilization of analogous gender-affirming surgeries than their TGD counterparts. [...] Previous research has consistently demonstrated that gender-affirming care for TGD people can be lifesaving in mitigating negative mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Data has been limited, however, around the rates at which TGD youth are undergoing gender-affirming care, including surgery. Despite this uncertainty, in recent years, twenty-five states have banned gender-affirming care for TGD minors. This fall, the Supreme Court will rule on whether such bans are constitutional. [...] "We found that gender-affirming surgeries are rarely performed for transgender minors, suggesting that U.S. surgeons are appropriately following international guidelines around assessment and care," said co-author Elizabeth Boskey, instructor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.