The Importance Of Gender Affirming Care For Everyone

One of the hot-button topics in the medical community (or at least the people commenting on the medical community) is the question of gender-affirming care. This is the type of treatment that is designed to help a person feel healthy, happy, and secure in their gender presentation. While it’s important to address the impact this has on the lives and happiness of transgender people, there is a side of the conversation that often goes under-examined. Everyone has the potential to benefit from gender-affirming care. Here, we’re going to look at some of the most common examples of treatments used widely, not just by transgender patients.

Hormone therapy

One of the most widely used types of gender-affirming care is in the use of hormone replacement therapy. Aside from being used to help people transition their gender presentation and characteristics, HRT is also widely used by cis-men and women to ensure their own gender presentation. For instance, testosterone treatments are often used for men to help ensure healthy muscle growth and to treat issues such as depression spurred on by low testosterone. Many women undergoing hormonal changes due to a recent pregnancy or menopause can use hormone treatments to help reignite their confidence as well as their libido. Hormone replacement therapy is used for an extensive range of aims. ​

Surgical options

Many of the treatments that were once colloquially known as “sex change surgery,” a term that has since fallen out of favor, have also been used by cisgender people to help them better fit their own ideal gender presentation. Perhaps the most common example of all is gynecomastia surgery. Not entirely dissimilar to a mastectomy, this procedure sees the removal of breast tissue. For women, this is often done to prevent the discomfort associated with having larger breasts, but many men also use this surgery in order to reduce the appearance of male breasts, which can affect their self-esteem and public perception.

Cosmetic treatments

Many of the cosmetic treatments that both men and women undergo are, in some form, related to their gendered presentation. For instance, the relationship between women and their body hair is a long and complex one. Right or wrong, society has a lot to say about how much body hair women should be expected to show, and many women would happily participate in removal treatments to ensure that they are able to present how they want and fit in society. Laser hair removal is one of the most widely sought cosmetic treatments across the board. However, there are plenty of other treatments designed to improve the appearance of the skin or to accentuate or diminish the appearance of certain features, all to help the patient reach an idealized presentation fitting their gender identity.


Much as with any time we talk about women’s medical rights, we have to understand treatments regarding sexual characteristics beyond their social implications. They can have a major impact on the well-being and quality of life of people from all walks of life.