Mother and boy in pink adorned room

Transgender Awareness Week

Each year, during the week of Nov. 13-19, organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face, including challenges navigating the healthcare system.

medical equipment on top of rainbow flag

Resources for Healthcare Professionals

Despite increasing public awareness and some legal protections, children who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, (or gender-diverse as a broader term) often lack adequate healthcare, including access to mental health resources.

To assist pediatricians and parents in providing care for LGBTQIA youth, The American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement entitled  "Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents

Resources for Families

Parents and caregivers of gender-diverse children often face additional challenges as they help their children deal with uncertainty and navigate schools, extended families, sibling relationships, and the world around them. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents make their home a place where their child feels safe and loved unconditionally for who they are. 

Below are helpful resources for parents and families of gender-diverse youth:  

Transgender flag

NICHQ's Commitment to Gender Equity

As an equity-focused public health organization, NICHQ remains dedicated to serving groups marginalized by systems. We have made an explicit commitment to racial equity and have been examining our internal and external work, structures, and language. While gender identity and expression is an expanding part of our equity journey, it is an important component to holding space for intersectional identities. 

Learn more about our philosophy and approach to language in the field of maternal and child health, and read our recent Insight, Exploring a Nonbinary Approach to Health, written by Heidi Brooks, NICHQ's Chief Operating Officer.

Transgender Awareness Week

Mark Your Calendars

In addition to Transgender Awareness Week, during the month of November NICHQ is proud to recognize the following awareness days:

  • Transgender Parent Day - November 7, 2021 (first Sunday in November)
  • Transgender Day of Remembrance - November 20, 2021