evidence: In the U.S., a politically partisan divide is shaping up between states that allow for and guarantee access to youth gender-affirming care and states that ban such treatment altogether. Twenty-two states have passed bans on the use of cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers and surgery in minors. [...] Finland was among the first countries to adopt the so-called Dutch Protocol for pediatric gender medicine. In the 1990s, Dutch gender specialists began laying the foundation for a comprehensive manual, if you will, for providing gender-affirming healthcare for minors. As it was envisioned, the Dutch Protocol laid out a set of criteria for treatment eligibility. There needs to be a documented early childhood onset of gender dysphoria, increase of gender incongruence after pubertal changes, absence of significant psychiatric comorbidity and demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the consequences of medical transition. Treatment with puberty blockers can only be initiated starting at the age of 12. Interventions with clearly irreversible effects, which include cross-sex hormones and surgery, are not available until ages 16 and 18, respectively. Should patients go through with the transitioning process, all youth are provided with psychotherapy throughout.