PENS Position Statement on Transgender Youth

Abstract

THE PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY Nursing Society (PENS) is committed to advancing the art and science of pediatric endocrinology nursing. PENS members specialize in the nursing care of children with endocrine conditions, including those who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH, 2012, p. 5) defines transgender identity as “discomfort or distress that is caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and that person’s sex assigned at birth (and the associated gender role and/or primary and secondary sex characteristics).” Transgender youth access endocrine care for blocking of pubertal hormones and eventual cross hormone therapy to assist with their transition. Therefore, PENS nurses are in a unique position to advocate for gender inclusive, culturally sensitive care of transgender or gender non-conforming children and adolescents as their allies in encouraging education and policy development for all communities, including schools, clubs, sports, home, clinics, and institutions. Nurses are respected in society as both nurturing and competent health care practitioners who follow a code of ethics. The International Council of Nurses (2012, p. 1) code of ethics states explicitly that nurses must not discriminate because “...inherent in nursing is respect for human rights, including cultural rights, the right to life and choice, to dignity and to be treated with respect. Nursing care is respectful of and unrestricted by considerations of age, color, creed, culture, disability or illness, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, politics, race or social status.” Nurses’ attitudes toward people who identify as