Reporting on the role of international politics in trans health care
As the U.S. federal government and state legislatures move to restrict access to trans health care, politicians, activists, and, increasingly, news organizations point to policies in Europe to support such actions.
Common claims include:
- European countries as a whole are pulling back on access to gender care for minors
- These decisions are apolitical and driven by purely medical considerations
- The changes are being made predominantly by progressive governments that have a history of supporting trans or broader LGBTQ+ rights
None of these statements are true.
While researchers have reported that the legal rights of trans Europeans are seeing more setbacks than progress for the first time in 13 years, the record is nuanced. Europe’s policies are just as mixed and just as politically driven as any in the United States.
Journalists unfamiliar with European politics should be wary of political over-generalizations and take care to familiarize themselves with the details. Below are two coverage guidance briefs to assist journalists reporting on this topic.
This policy summary provides journalists with general context for understanding how trans health care policy differs (and doesn’t) between the U.S. and Europe. It explains why and how common talking points, including those repeated by journalists, oversimplify — and sometimes outright misstate — trans health care regulations in Europe.
In the above guidance, learn more about:
- How access to trans health care access varies across Europe
- How to contextualize medical policy research commissioned by politicians
- How European governments’ decision-making around gender care is not apolitical
Trying to find smart questions to ask about recent news around trans health care? This guide provides quick tips on what to know and what to ask.
In the above guidance, we share key reporting questions that help journalists:
- Understand new government policies
- Dig into medical recommendations and health care research
- Seek the implications of new guidelines or laws
Useful resources for understanding global trans health care access
These resources provide data-driven policy maps that describe trans health care access across the world. Please note that some are older, static reports and others are updated regularly. Though U.S.-based journalists often use Europe as a point of comparison in contemporary coverage, it can be helpful to consider the global landscape for trans people’s rights to medical care.
- Trans Health Map from Trans Europe and Central Asia
- Regional Mapping Report on Trans Health, Rights and Development in Asia from Asia Pacific Transgender Network
- Global Equality Index for Gender-Affirming Care from Equaldex
- Medicaid Coverage of Transgender-Related Health Care from Movement Advancement Project
- Policy Tracker: Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care and State Policy Restrictions from Kaiser Family Foundation
For more information on trans health care policy, see our primer on understanding last year’s health care reports for trans youth, our statement about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report on gender-related medical care, and our style guide’s health care coverage subsection.
As with all TJA publications, this guidance was collaboratively written and researched. This report was written by Ozzy Llinas Goodman, researched by Goodman and Mizy Clifton, and edited by Kae Petrin. Several other TJA members consulted.
