Background: It has been widely suggested that over 80% of transgender children will come to identify as cisgender (i.e. desist) as they mature, with the assumption that for this 80%, the trans identity was a temporary "phase." This statistic is used as the scientific rationale for discouraging social transition for pre-pubertal children. This article is a critical commentary on the limitations of this research and a caution against using these studies to develop care recommendations for gender non-conforming children. Methods: A critical review methodology is employed to systematically interpret four frequentlycited studies that sought to document identity outcomes for gender non-conforming children (often referred to as "desistance" research). Results: Methodological, theoretical, ethical, and interpretive concerns regarding four "desistance" studies are presented. The authors clarify the historical and clinical contexts within which these studies were conducted to deconstruct assumptions in interpretations of the results. The discussion makes distinctions between the specific evidence provided by these studies versus the assumptions that have shaped recommendations for care. The affirmative model is presented as a way to move away from the question of, "How should children's gender identities develop over time?" toward a more useful question: "How should children best be supported as their gender identity develops?" Conclusion: The tethering of childhood gender diversity to the framework of "desistance" or "persistence" has stifled advancements in our understanding of children's gender in all its complexity. These follow-up studies fall short in helping us understand what children need. As work begins on the 8 th version of the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we call for a more inclusive conceptual framework that takes children's voices seriously. Listening to children's experiences will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of gender non-conforming children and provide guidance to scientific and lay communities.

Over the past 5 years in Canada, clinicians have observed an increasing number of gender-diverse and trans children and youth (GDTCY) accessing clinics for gender-affirming care. GDTCY who are able to access care are usually accompanied by their families, which provides a unique opportunity to integrate them into the treatment team. GDTCY have better health and social outcomes when strongly supported by their parents/caregivers. To optimize young people’s health and well-being, it is essential that we learn more about family experiences in supporting their GDTCY and in overcoming barriers to accessing services. This project is one of the first qualitative studies that aims to develop a deeper understanding of GDTCY and their parents/caregivers’ experiences of the gender-affirming care setting. This paper explores their journeys in coming to terms with their child’s gender identity, including reactions to the child’s coming out, struggles and facilitators of acceptance, and experiences in clinical settings.

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Over 80% of weight loss surgery (WLS) patients are women, yet gender is overwhelmingly absent in WLS research. This article discusses the findings of 54 interviews with twenty-one women and six men waiting for WLS in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We critically examine the ways that gender shapes the meaning of WLS in these narratives. We explore gendered meanings in participants' perspectives on their embodied experiences before surgery, social support as they decided to undergo the procedure, and their expectations for their lives after WLS. We draw on feminist theory to explain how these findings counter the dominant gender-neutral medical model of obesity.