What is Gender-Affirming Healthcare?

Gender-affirming healthcare (GAHC) is evidence-based medical care that supports a person’s wellbeing by aligning their body and identity.

It includes a range of services — from respectful communication and counselling to hormone therapy and surgical care — all grounded in established clinical standards.

In South Africa, access to GAHC is protected under the Constitution’s rights to equality, dignity, and healthcare (Sections 9, 10 & 27).

Providing this care is not activism; it is ethical, lawful, and lifesaving — consistent with the professional duty to do no harm.