Link: Supporting Trans Health Care is trusting science (Non-fiction)


Jey McCreight Ph.D., a science writer for 23andMe and a former member of Freethought Blogs, has a post on the 23andMe Blog supporting Trans Health Care:

People who fear or distrust trans people often use “biology” as a justification for attacking this community. But the reality is that the biology of sex and gender is more complicated than a simple binary. The science shows us that sex itself is not binary, but rather bimodal, with a range of diversity between the categories of male or female. Scientific research also supports the existence of trans and non-binary gender identities as a natural part of human diversity that have existed throughout history.

But it is not enough to simply say “trans people exist.” Science also shows that trans people who are accepted and affirmed have better health outcomes and quality of life.

Jey stresses the importance of gender-affirming health care and how people using the phrase “trust the science” to justify transphobic legislation aren’t really trusting what science has to say. While scientific evidence isn’t required to accept trans people, the abuse of science to promote transphobia shouldn’t be tolerated.  As Jey points out:

Regardless of what science says, everyone should still treat trans people with respect because it’s just the right thing to do. But if you want to claim you “trust the science” in order to attack trans people, then sorry – the science says that trans rights are human rights.

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