Healthcare

LGBTQIA+ people are significantly more likely to face mental health challenges. Transgender people are nearly four times as likely to face mental health challenges. Among younger queer people, mental health challenges are even more common. However, an affirming adult in a young person’s life can have a radical positive impact on their mental wellbeing. Closing the gap in mental health disparities requires increasing access to culturally competent mental health professionals across the state.

The HIV epidemic didn’t die out in the 80s. Nearly 100,000 people in Texas are currently living with HIV. HIV and AIDS continue to disproportionately impact LGBTQIA+ people, and transgender people are 49 times as likely to be impacted by the virus. 

Treatment for people living with HIV can often be prohibitively expensive, and people living with HIV may find themselves or their sex lives stigmatized when encountering medical health professionals. Solutions to these challenges require deep investment in the national healthcare system and government oversight of the insurance industry to prevent discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.

PrEP and other treatments help prevent the spread of HIV. These types of breakthrough preventative treatments should be available and accessible in Texas, allowing people living with HIV and their partners to have rich and fulfilling love lives. In recent years we’ve seen attacks on access to prep through legislative and legal attempts to eliminate insurance coverage for the medicine. Healthcare professionals who work to spread awareness about the virus have also faced obstacles in Texas with abstinence-only sex education programs that prevent teachers from providing instruction on safe sex practices.

Health care literally saves lives. Care for transgender people is no different. The care that trans people require should be available and accessible. We know that when trans young receive care, their mental health is better well into adulthood. Health care should be available to all people in the state of Texas, and not restricted for any group.

In 2023, the Texas Legislature banned health care for trans youth driving doctors and families with trans kids out of the state. In 2024, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission excluded trans care from medicaid coverage. All people deserve to access essential health care without government intrusion.

If you are struggling to access care in the State of Texas the Trans Youth Emergency Project may be able to help.