Document Type
Honors Thesis
Major
International Affairs
Advisor(s)
Jessica Miller
Committee Members
Susan Bredlau, Kara Peruccio
Graduation Year
May 2023
Publication Date
Spring 2023
Abstract
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care publication one most-often cited in the defense of increasing attacks on transgender rights to gender-affirming healthcare, as it is the reigning body of clinical guidelines and recommendations for the medical treatment of transgender and gender-diverse populations developed for application in a global context. This paper recounts the history of the WPATH organization––formerly called the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association––and the evolution of its Standards publication. In light of historical and recent attacks on gender-affirming care, an overview of the material implications of the Standards’ changes as they pertain to legal and healthcare protections is also provided.
Recommended Citation
Cross, Alexander, "The WPATH Standards of Care: Their History and Importance in Advocating for Transgender Health" (2023). Honors College. 800.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/800