Caring for transgender adolescents in BC

A decision about which to adhere to depends on the individual adolescent, the guiding principles of the institution or system in which a clinician works, and the personal view of the clinician. [...] The first (diagnostic) phase Procedure In this phase, information is obtained from both the adolescent and the parents/guardians on various aspects of the general and psychosexual development of the adolescent. [...] In practice, this may imply that interventions do not take place before adulthood, to allow the evolution of the course of the psychiatric disorder and the level of psychosocial functioning to be evaluated over time. [...] This means that the clinician makes clear to the adolescent that any outcome of therapy (ranging from acceptance of living in the social role congruent with the phenotypic sex to sex reassignment) is acceptable as long as it ultimately contributes to the well being of the adolescent. [...] The Standards of Care explicitly state that RLE is not a diagnostic test to evaluate whether gender concerns are present, but that the process tests “the person’s resolve, the capacity to function in the preferred gender, and the adequacy of social, economic, and psychological supports”.