During Transgender Awareness Week, we take time to honor the experiences, strength, and resilience of transgender and gender-diverse people. Mental health professionals play a vital role in fostering safety, understanding, and respect for individuals across the gender spectrum. This involves creating an affirming environment, understanding and communicating the kinds of care each person needs, and using inclusive language that acknowledges and respects every gender identity (“Holly,” 2020). At ONE Health, we are deeply committed to providing inclusive, compassionate care that supports the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse individuals.
Understanding Transgender Awareness Week
Transgender Awareness Week serves as an important time for education, visibility, and advocacy. During this week, transgender people and their allies work to increase understanding by sharing stories and experiences, educating the public about who transgender people are, and advocating against prejudice, discrimination, and violence that continue to affect the community (“Holly,” 2020).
Observed in the week leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, Transgender Awareness Week invites individuals and organizations nationwide to raise visibility and bring attention to the challenges faced by transgender and gender-diverse people (“Holly,” 2020). The Transgender Day of Remembrance itself is a solemn annual observance honoring the lives of transgender individuals lost to acts of anti-transgender violence (“Holly,” 2020).
Founded in 1999 by advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil for Rita Hester, a transgender woman killed in 1998, it has since become a powerful tradition of remembrance and resolve (“Holly,” 2020).
Awareness plays a crucial role in reducing stigma, promoting equality, and fostering acceptance. By increasing visibility and understanding, we can help create safer, more supportive communities—leading to improved mental health and well-being for transgender individuals everywhere.
Mental Health and the Transgender Community
Research consistently shows that transgender individuals experience higher rates of mental health challenges compared to cisgender individuals or the general population (Pinna et al, 2022). Factors such as minority stress, discrimination, and social rejection contribute significantly to these disparities. Stigma, discrimination, and even violence are unfortunately common experiences for many transgender people (Scheim et al, 2021).
The gender minority stress model helps explain these impacts: external stressors such as rejection, victimization, and lack of gender affirmation can lead to poorer health outcomes, which are often compounded by internal stressors like self-stigma, anticipated stigma, and the need to conceal one’s identity (Scheim et al, 2021). As a result, transgender individuals are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, substance use concerns, and suicidal ideation—driven not by their identity itself, but by the stigma and exclusion they face (Pinna et al, 2022).
Large-scale studies have found that nearly half of transgender people have seriously considered suicide, and about one in ten have attempted suicide within the past year (Scheim et al, 2021). These statistics underscore the urgent need for understanding, acceptance, and accessible, affirming mental health care.
Importantly, affirming environments and supportive healthcare providers can serve as powerful protective factors. When transgender individuals are respected, validated, and supported in their identities, their mental health and overall well-being can improve significantly.
What Transgender-Inclusive Practice Looks Like
Creating an affirming and inclusive environment involves using respectful language, including correct names, pronouns, and terminology, and ensuring that all intake forms and documentation are inclusive. The physical space should also feel welcoming through inclusive signage, literature, and accessible restrooms, supported by strong nondiscrimination protections (Scheim et al, 2021). All staff should receive comprehensive and ongoing training on gender diversity and unconscious bias (Scheim et al, 2021). Building trust is essential and can be achieved through respect, confidentiality, and nonjudgmental listening. Finally, it is important to recognize the vital role that gender affirmation and personal empowerment play in improving health outcomes for transgender people (Scheim et al, 2021).
The Role of Psychiatry in Affirmation
Providing effective and compassionate care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals involves understanding gender dysphoria and recognizing how it differs from broader identity experiences. Clinicians should offer gender-affirming care and appropriate referrals, including hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, and voice therapy. Supporting families and caregivers in understanding and affirming their loved ones is also essential. Advocacy within healthcare systems is necessary to promote inclusive policies and equitable access to care. Psychiatrists should be mindful of both the historical harms and the current best practices in treating transgender and gender-diverse populations, given the higher rates of psychiatric morbidity compared to the general population (Beazer et al, 2024). Reducing medical trauma in acute psychiatric settings and deepening understanding of the interactions between psychopharmacology and gender-affirming hormone therapy are also key components of high-quality, affirming care (Beazer et al, 2024).
Practical Steps for Providers
Providers can take several practical steps to support transgender and gender-diverse individuals. This includes engaging in ongoing professional education focused on gender diversity, collaborating with local LGBTQ+ organizations to access resources and strengthen community connections, and reviewing practice materials and procedures to ensure they are inclusive and affirming. Additionally, providers should encourage open feedback from patients about their experiences to continually improve the quality and sensitivity of care.
Conclusion
It is important to emphasize that awareness should lead to meaningful action. Providers and community members alike are encouraged to learn, listen, and stand as allies during Transgender Awareness Week and throughout the year. Sharing and promoting resources for support and crisis services—such as The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline, and local LGBTQ+ centers—can make a significant difference in ensuring safety and belonging for all individuals.
Concerned about your mental health? Contact us today to schedule with a licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner in Columbus, Ohio.
Beazer, M., Breiger, M., & Keuroghlian, A.S. (2024). The Role of Psychiatry for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults. Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 32(2):p 58-62. DOI: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000392
Holly. (2020, November 12). Transgender Awareness Week | planned parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, Inc.. Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, Inc. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-pacific-southwest/blog/transgender-awareness-week
Pinna, F., Paribello, P., Somaini, G., Corona, A., Ventriglio, A., … Corrias, C. (2022). Mental health in transgender individuals: a systematic review. International Review of Psychiatry, 34(3–4), 292–359. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2093629
Scheim, A.I., Baker, K.E., Restar, A.J., & Sell, R.L. (2021). Health and Health Care Among Transgender Adults in the United States. Annual Review of Public Health. 43:503–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth052620-100313
