LGBTQIA+ Health
Vaden Health Services is committed to the health of queer Stanford students by providing both specialized care and inclusive services. Vaden Health Services houses both Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Weiland Health Initiative. The Weiland Health Initiative focuses on serving students across the spectrums of gender and sexuality through therapy, programming, education, and advocacy.
Since systems impact individuals’ health, Vaden is committed to providing ongoing inclusivity training for its providers, continued reform of Stanford medical and administrative structures, and advocacy in navigating health care on and off of campus.
Below you will find information on the clinical services that Vaden Health Services provides. For more information on the systemic, educational, and advocacy work being done, please visit the Weiland Health Initiative.
Counseling
CAPS and Weiland therapists are available to help students experiencing a wide variety of personal and relationship concerns. Visit the CAPS homepage or call 650.723.3785 to make an appointment. During your initial CAPS Connects appointment, inform the clinician that you would prefer seeing a CAPS or Weiland therapist who has specialized training in working with gender and sexuality. You also can identify a counselor with extensive training in LGBTQIA+ mental health issues at CAPS by an asterisk posted next to their name and a note on their Staff Page profile.
Medical Services
For specific questions or services around gender affirming care, you can make an appointment with a Vaden clinician with experience in transgender health care at the VadenPatientPortal by checking the “Transgender Health Care” box. Providers have been trained and strive to use whatever language students find most comfortable regarding sex, gender, pronouns, and identity.
Gender-Affirming Care
Vaden Health Services offers specialized services for folx exploring their gender and gender affirming care. Below you will find information on these services, how to access them, and some frequently asked questions.
PFLAG National Glossary
If you’d like more information and more terms, feel free to check out the PFLAG National Glossary. Please note that gender identity, gender presentation, gender labels, and gender stereotypes are all different things that can feel difficult to pull apart! These definitions are based on North American, western LGBTQ+ community concepts. These definitions are changing all the time and thus it is a challenge to update this page as the rate of language evolution.
Sexual Fluidity
For some people, sexual orientation and desire are not rigid or continuous throughout their lives; rather, they can be fluid and change over time.
Frequently Asked Questions: LGBTQIA+ Health at Stanford
Access an FAQ that has been curated by our staff to assist in answering questions for members of Stanford's communities.
