Youth and Teens, Legal Issues

Over the past 50 years, the transgender rights movement has made tremendous progress, expanding legal rights through litigation and legislative advocacy as well as increasing social awareness and acceptance. Despite the relatively fast pace of those gains, there are still many obstacles to formal equality and making that equality a lived reality. This is particularly true for trans young people, whose rights are under continual attack by legislators and government agencies, and in the media. This entry provides an overview of current legal protections that safeguard the rights of trans young people while highlighting areas of law that are still developing.