QueerCME Vodcast

🔊 Episode Description In this episode, we sit down with licensed psychologist Dr. Luke R. Allen to explore groundbreaking research showing that access to gender affirming medical care — including hormone therapy — is associated with clinically meaningful reductions in suicidal ideation among transgender and gender diverse adolescents and young adults. Dr. Allen walks us through his study’s findings, discusses the implications for clinical practice, and shares insight on what this evidence means for providers who want to deliver affirming, life-saving care.  🧠 About Dr. Luke R. Allen, PhD Dr. Luke R. Allen (he/him) is a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience in research, clinical practice, and advocacy related to transgender and gender diverse health. He provides telehealth services across multiple states and specializes in supporting transgender and nonbinary youth, young adults, and their families with mental health, gender identity, and life affirming care. He is a Certified World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care Version 8 Member and Mentor and brings decades of training, scholarship, and clinical experience to both therapeutic work and scientific inquiry. (Luke R. Allen, PhD) Dr. Allen’s approach emphasizes autonomy, dignity, and collaborative care — helping clients pursue meaningful lives on their own terms. His work bridges evidence, ethics, and community needs, with scholarly contributions that help shape our understanding of best practices in gender-affirming treatment. (Luke R. Allen, PhD) Read more about Dr. Allen: https://lukeallenphd.com/about-me (Luke R. Allen, PhD) 📚 Study Summary: Changes in Suicidality Among Transgender Adolescents Following Hormone Therapy: An Extended Study Published in The Journal of Pediatrics, this study tracked 432 transgender and gender-diverse adolescents and young adults who began hormone therapy and completed standardized suicide screening measures both before and after treatment. Over an average of nearly two years of follow-up, the researchers observed significant declines in suicidal ideation and related behavior following initiation of hormone therapy — a finding consistent across age groups and assigned sex at birth. These results extend earlier smaller studies and provide robust clinical evidence that timely access to gender affirming care can play a protective role in mental health outcomes for trans youth. (ScienceDirect) 📄 Read the study here:https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(25)00424-X/abstract (jpeds.com)  

In this episode, Dr. Bex Canner, a retired family medicine physician with years of experience practicing in Aotearoa (New Zealand), joins us to unpack the shifting legal and cultural landscape of puberty blockers for trans youth. Dr. Canner reflects on how New Zealand once seemed poised to expand gender affirming care—but now faces growing misinformation, fear-based rhetoric, and policy uncertainty. Together, we name the harm of anti-trans narratives like “mutilation” and ground listeners in what puberty blockers actually are: safe, evidence-based care that gives trans and gender diverse youth time to explore who they are. If you’ve ever wondered what’s really happening with trans healthcare in New Zealand, this episode offers nuance, clarity, and global solidarity.Here's the link for the Counting Ourselves survey mentioned.

Mel Jones, a registered dietitian and former PA, discusses the pivotal role of dietitians in gender-affirming care. They share how their background informs a trauma-informed, culturally aware approach to nutrition for trans and neurodivergent patients. Mel dives into issues like disordered eating prevalence, screening tools, and practical advice for busy clinicians. They emphasize gradual dietary changes, the importance of individual care plans, and highlight valuable resources for supporting diverse nutritional needs.

What happens when you combine optical science, high fashion, and radical body autonomy? You get Briar Brodwell (he/him), LDO, ABOC, NCLEC—Licensed Dispensing Optician, queer community icon, and gender affirming eyewear stylist. In this episode, we zoom in on a lesser-talked-about aspect of gender expression: eyewear—and how something as “small” as a pair of glasses can become a transformative, affirming tool in a trans or gender diverse person’s life. Briar brings nine years of optical expertise and six years of joy-filled service at Eye Eye, Seattle’s chic and celebrated optometry and optical shops. But this isn’t just about frames and lenses. Briar weaves his lived experience as a trans man with a fierce commitment to patient advocacy and Tikkun Olam—repairing the world—to revolutionize how we view ourselves and each other. From first-time gender affirming glasses to navigating gendered healthcare spaces with integrity, Briar shares practical insights, compassionate stories, and the healing power of seeing—and being seen—as our truest selves. Visit Eye Eye in Seattle or online!  See the Opticians Association of Washington online here.

Join Dr. Crystal Beal and trans tech scholar Dr. Os Keyes for a juicy deep dive into the lesser-known history of trans health clinics—from bureaucratic drama to unethical experiments masked as care. We unpack how embedding research into clinical delivery has sometimes led to violations of autonomy, consent, and trust—and what today’s clinicians can learn from these cautionary tales. Come for the history, stay for the hot takes and ethical tea. 🫖   Find the video with captions on QueerCME's YouTube

In this episode, Dr. Crystal Beal and Nicole Gress of Undead Voice dive into what referring clinicians need to know about voice transition. Nicole breaks down the three key influences on voice and shares the five foundational pillars of gender-affirming voice care. A must-listen for providers supporting transgender and gender diverse patients in their voice journey.   Nicole Gress, MS, CCC-SLP (they/she) is a licensed speech-language pathologist, trans voice expert, and the founder of Undead Voice, the leading voice transition training company for trans and gender diverse (TGD) people. With over 12 years of experience in trans voice, Nicole developed a non-medicalized, community-centered approach that supports individuals in aligning their voice with their identity—without requiring insurance, referrals, or diagnosis. Their program, Undead Voice Lab, has helped over 100,000 people in 20+ countries and is increasingly recognized by healthcare providers as a vital resource, especially as access to traditional gender-affirming services becomes more limited. Nicole’s work centers accessibility, autonomy, and long-term support. To date, Undead Voice has distributed over $600,000 in scholarships to expand care to those who need it most. Nicole also serves on the TGX+ Initiative Committee for the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, is Co-Chair of the Small Business Committee for GSBA, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Global Trans Equity Project. Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@undead.voice Instagram - https://instagram.com/undead.voice Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/undeadvoice Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/undeadvoice.bsky.social Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolegress

In the QueerCME podcast episode featuring Dr. Colt St. Amand (he/they), a clinical psychologist, family medicine physician, and trans man, he introduced his new educational initiative, the Gender Affirmative Supportive Surgery Evaluation Tool (Gender ASSET). Gender ASSET is a comprehensive, 12.5-hour, CE-certified course designed to equip clinicians with skills to write affirming referral letters for patients seeking gender affirming surgeries. Dr. St. Amand collaborated with another community expert to create this tool, aiming to streamline the often complex process of referrals and ensure that letters genuinely support transgender and gender diverse individuals’ surgical needs. This course offers critical insights and training for clinicians, emphasizing affirming care that respects individual autonomy and reduces gatekeeping barriers. Dr. St. Amand also discussed the importance of empathy and understanding in this process, highlighting that affirming care can significantly impact patient outcomes and their trust in healthcare providers.

In the QueerCME podcast featuring Dr. Scholar Lee of T.R.A.N.S. Parent Life Conversations, Dr. Lee shared their experience as a leader in supporting transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals through coaching and structured support groups. T.R.A.N.S. Parent Life offers unique group sessions tailored for both TGD individuals and their family members, creating supportive spaces for families to explore and understand gender diversity together. Dr. Lee emphasized the power of these sessions in building resilience and fostering acceptance within families, which can be crucial for improving mental health and well-being in TGD individuals. In addition to group offerings, Dr. Lee provides individualized coaching, allowing TGD people to explore personal and family-related challenges in a safe and affirming environment. This conversation highlighted the importance of accessible, affirming support and the role it plays in empowering individuals and educating families about the diverse experiences of TGD loved ones.

Join Dr. Crystal Beal and Dr. Eli Lawliet, Ph.D., (he/him) for a great episode learning about the work of gender doulas!!!! Eli Lawliet, Ph.D., (he/him) is the dreamer and weaver of The Gender Doula. In addition to a decade of experience researching trans healthcare, law, policy, and history, he has formal training as a full spectrum doula, breathwork facilitator, and tarot reader, as well as many years of surviving the world of poverty wages and retail work. The broad scope of his experience directly informs the equally broad spectrum of his work as The Gender Doula. Eli has been seeing clients since January of 2020 and has worked with hundreds of trans folks nationally and internationally in sessions, classes, and workshops. Though he was born in Oklahoma and raised in Missouri, Eli currently lives in Los Angeles (Gabrieliño-Tongva, Chumash, & Kizh land) with his partner, three cats, a dog, and four snakes.

In this episode, we are thrilled to host Jess Romeo (he/they), the visionary founder of My Gender IQ. Jess is a dual-trained Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and clinical social worker, and an influential business owner, professional mentor, DEI consultant, and proud trans guy. Jess joins us to share his groundbreaking work in transforming mental health care to be more affirming and inclusive for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals. With his continuing education series at My Gender IQ and his commitment to fostering radical healing and gender liberation, Jess is setting new standards in the field. Tune in as we explore practical strategies for providing transgender-affirming psychiatric care and discuss the importance of creating supportive environments for both patients and healthcare providers. Whether you're a healthcare professional or an advocate for TGD rights, this episode is packed with invaluable insights you won't want to miss.   Learn more about Jess in our blog!!!