The World Professional Association for Transgender Health ( WPATH ) released their new "Standards of Care" ( SOC ) for transgender people, the first update to the document in a decade.
The much-anticipated 7th Edition of SOC was released at the group's conference in Atlanta, Georgia on Sept. 25.
"The previous versions of the SOC were always perceived to be about the things that a trans person must do to satisfy clinicians, this version is much more clearly about every aspect of what clinicians ought to do in order to properly serve their clients," said Christine Burns, a committee member of SOC International Advisory, in a press statement. "That is a truly radical reversal . . . one that serves both parties very well."
The SOC is the standard document used by healthcare providers regarding transgender care. Consequently, changes to the documents can have a significant impact on transgender people in the U.S. and beyond.
According to a WPATH news statement, the latest SOC revision provides substantially more information on transgender children and further de-pathologizes gender-variant people.
"More than any other version, 2011 revisions also recognize that gender nonconformity in and of itself is not a disorder and that many people live comfortable lives without having to seek therapy or medical interventions for gender confusion or unhappiness," the statement reads.
The statement also said that revisions emphasize cultural competency and the need for doctors to become advocates to transgender people in healthcare and in society.
Windy City Times will update with responses from transgender organizations and advocates as they become available.
A full copy of the report and news release is available at: www.wpath.org/index.cfm