Nova Scotia Health affirms that all people have the right to determine their own gender identity and expression.

Research has consistently shown that gender-affirming care saves lives by improving the mental health, well-being, and relationships of transgender and gender-diverse people. Such care allows those whose gender identity does not match the gender assigned at birth to receive health care that affirms who they are and helps them manage the social stressors associated with living in a society where they can feel invisible or excluded, and in many cases treated with hostility and violence.

Gender-affirming care is standard of care for transgender and gender-diverse people. Nova Scotia Health affirms that access to gender-affirming health care is a human right.

Nova Scotia Health supports and provides gender-affirming care across the lifespan. We are committed to providing the best, safest, most compassionate, and evidence-based care we can to transgender and gender-diverse Nova Scotians. Our models of care are trauma-informed and culturally responsive. We are committed to making our hospitals, and clinics a place where people of all gender identities and expressions feel accepted for who they are, cared for, and respected.