Partnering with trans and gender diverse youth in healthcare research: considerations for safe and meaningful engagement.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: When pursuing participatory methods with youth, healthcare research teams may have the opportunity to create partnerships with transgender and gender diverse youth (TGDY). While these partnerships are crucial to ensure the voices of TGDY are included throughout health domains, research teams must ensure this marginalized population is safely and meaningfully included. It is therefore important for research teams to be aware of key pitfalls that contribute to the marginalization of TGDY in healthcare and research, and certain strategies to counteract these pitfalls. METHODS: Using our lived and learned expertise, this commentary seeks to support research teams wishing to conduct participatory research that includes TGDY. RESULTS: We present an overview of the mechanisms through which TGDY are marginalized throughout healthcare and research, providing context around the sociocultural ostracization, institutional erasure, and epistemic injustice this group faces. Considering these issues, we provide suggested approaches to ensure partnerships with TGDY are safe and meaningful. CONCLUSION: Including TGDY voices throughout healthcare research is key to counteract the marginalization this group faces. Through safe and meaningful partnership, research teams across healthcare fields can contribute to this work.