Debunking Myths About System Involved Transgender, Nonbinary, & Gender Expansive Children

Kelsey Pacha

Training Description

More than 220 laws targeting transgender, nonbinary, & gender expansive youth, their parents, & providers have been proposed since 2021. Many of these policies are based on damaging misinformation about who trans & gender expansive youth are. This training will educate those who support system involved youth about common myths that often cause parents to deny children’s authentic gender identities and limit their access to gender-affirming care. Research is clear on the validity of trans children’s gender identities, and the negative long-term impact of preventing them from living as their true selves. This training is designed to help provide resources to service those that support system involved youth that clarify ten myths surrounding trans youth, their legal rights, and best practices to support overall health and well-being.

Training participants will learn a multi-step process for psycho-educating others about these ten myths, as well as familiarize themselves with six community resources for caregivers/families of trans or gender questioning system involved youth.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify and critically engage ten common myths about transgender, nonbinary, & gender expansive system involved youth.

2. Review six premises of gender-affirming care.

3. Review fifteen peer-reviewed research studies on the impact of limiting access to gender-affirming care, average age of first awareness of gender identity, and long-term health outcomes related to supporting a young person’s gender identity.

4. Identify six resources for those who support system involved gender questioning children.

5. Learn a multi-step process for psycho-educating others about these ten myths.

Agenda 

9:30-11:30am  Introductions: name, gender pronoun, one thing you wish to learn. Community agreements, agenda. Identify ten common myths about transgender, nonbinary, & gender expansive youth. Define gender-affirming care & identify its six principles.

11:30am-12pm  Video

12-12:30pm  Lunch (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

12:30-1:30pm  Define Gender Dysphoria and Gender Identity Disorder (DSM-5) and how these diagnoses relate to access to gender-affirming resources for children. Define social, medical, and legal transition.

1:30-2:30pm  Review multi-step conversation structure to psycho-educate others about anti-trans myths. Six resources for caregivers of gender questioning children and others who support them. Final Questions & Answers. Wrap-up. Course Evaluations.

Meet Our Trainer

Kelsey Pacha, MA, M.Div. is a trans man who has worked with marginalized communities for 15+ years in a variety of settings. He holds a Master of Religion and Psychology, Master of Divinity, and Certificate of Sexuality and Religion from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychological Services from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He is the owner of Kelsey Pacha Consulting, which supports the work of institutions and individuals in increasing their capacity for cultural humility and social justice-informed institutional change. Kelsey offers educational trainings and LGBTQ workplace policy expertise with an emphasis on practical skills, identity awareness, and personal empowerment. He regularly works with corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion officers and LGBTQ affinity groups, as well as legal, clinical, medical, and direct service

(including child welfare and faith leader) personnel. 

This course meets the qualifications for (4.5) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.