Yukon’s new gender-affirming care policy is most comprehensive in Canada, experts say

The policy defines gender-affirming healthcare as procedures that help align one’s body and physical presentation with one’s gender identity.

‘It’s incredible’

Chase Blodgett, president of All Genders Yukon Society, said he was completely “shocked and pleasantly surprised” when he reviewed the new policy.

“It’s incredible to have the Yukon having gender-affirming procedures, coverage that is the most comprehensive in Canada and in North America,” Blodgett said.

“It’s going to change the lives of so many people in a positive manner.”

Some of the biggest changes to the new policy include larger coverage for facial feminization surgery, and access to voice therapy and vocal coaching.

“[This policy] is going to profoundly remove barriers to allow people to be treated and seen in the general public for who they are,” said Blodgett.

Life-saving procedures

The new policy defines gender-affirming care as life-saving procedures.

A 2020 Trans PULSE Canada survey found one in three trans, two-spirit, and/or non-binary people had considered suicide in the past year. One in 20 reported attempting suicide in the past year.

The high rates of transphobic violence and harassment faced by gender diverse people are well-documented. 

Sixty-four per cent of people surveyed reported avoiding three or more types of public spaces out of fear of being harassed or outed.

Research shows it isn’t people’s gender identity causing distress and suicidal thoughts, Blodgett said, but it’s the significant barriers they face in society to performing tasks of daily life.

Medical professionals requested policy revision

This new policy has been in the works for about two years.

In 2019, the Yukon government started looking at revising the strategy after receiving multiple requests from medical professionals advocating on behalf of their patients for better coverage.

Marguerite Fenske, acting director for Insured Health and Hearing Services, said this was a “big sign” that something needed to change.

“These services really are required for the best for [people’s] health and well-being,” said Fenske.

Michelle Wolsky, a nurse practitioner with Yukon’s sexual health clinic, helped with the policy’s initial consultation.

She said the clinic was seeing an uptick in patients seeking gender-affirming care, but the old policy was too specific and limiting to give them the care they needed.

“Gender-affirming care is really more of a buffet. It’s not black and white … but it’s more of a continuum of what people are looking for to affirm their gender.”

This policy has placed [Yukon] well ahead of the rest of the provinces and territories in Canada.– Dr. Michael Marshall, president of Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health

She said these procedures will improve people’s mental health, citing a 2013 survey which found 43 per cent of transgender people had attempted suicide in their lifetime.

“These procedures … will only improve mental health significantly for people when they can actually live as they feel internally.”

‘Yukon has been a trailblazer’

Dr. Michael Marshall, president of the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health, was one of the experts consulted in the making of the new policy.

“Yukon has been a trailblazer … and continues to be one with this policy. This policy has placed itself well ahead of the rest of the provinces and territories in Canada.”

Marshall said this is one of the few policies that considers a person as a whole.

“I could think of no policy in Canada that allows these interventions,” Marshall said. “This is a remarkable piece of policy.”

The policy was issued on March 1, just weeks before Yukon’s Liberal government called a territorial election. The party has already been pointing to it as evidence for their support of the LGBTQ2s+ community in their campaign.

NDP spokesperson Emily Della Mattia told CBC the party is “very supportive” of the policy, and is also proposing a “LGBTQIA2S+ navigator,” who would directly assist community members in accessing the services and care.

Yukon Party spokesperson Tim Kucharuk told CBC though the party has not reviewed the policy, it supports “the policy’s goal of improving health outcomes for all Yukoners regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”