Gender-affirming and age-appropriate online resources for gender-independent, intersex, nonbinary, transgender, genderqueer, and gender-diverse (GIaNT+) youth: a scoping review.

Abstract

Introduction: Gender-independent, intersex, nonbinary, transgender, genderqueer, and gender-diverse (GIaNT+) youth have reported the need for inclusive online puberty health and sex education programs. There is a limited number of knowledge syntheses that explore what is known about digital spaces that include games, apps, social media, and online educational resources/open-access websites for GIaNT+ youth.

Objective: This scoping review reports how GIaNT+ youth engage with and experience gender-affirming and age-appropriate online resources to address their puberty health and/or sex education needs.

Eligibility criteria: Quantitative studies, qualitative studies, mixed methods studies, discussions, and textual evidence papers reporting on gender-affirming and age-appropriate online resources focused on puberty health and/or sex education for GIaNT+ youth (aged 9 to 26 years) were included. Participants' identification of online resources as supportive and not supportive, informative and not informative, as well as safe and unsafe was of interest.

Methods: The JBI methodology for scoping reviews was utilized, following an a priori protocol. An extensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Cochrane, Epistemonikos, ERIC (EBSCOhost), GenderWatch, LGBTQ+ Source, ProQuest Central, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Global, PsycINFO, and Scopus that included both peer-reviewed and gray literature. The initial search was conducted in July 2023 and repeated in September 2024. The search was not limited by language, global context, or publication date. Following the pilot tests, the titles/abstracts and full texts were screened independently by reviewers in dyads. The data were extracted using a data extraction tool developed by JBI and modified by the review team to capture the year of publication, country of origin, setting, study methods, and findings related to the review questions. The review findings are reported as a descriptive summary, with tables and figures supporting the data.

Results: The search identified 11,495 sources, of which 56 were included. The included sources were published between 2005 and 2025 and were conducted across 5 countries. Sources included mixed methods study design, qualitative research design, narrative inquiry method design, descriptive phenomenology qualitative study design, cross-sectional study design, case study, quantitative study design, pre-/post-test methods (such as randomized controlled trials), and ethnography research design. The online resources were divided into 4 categories: games, apps, social media, and online educational resources/open-access websites. Many GIaNT+ youth use various online resources to access information about their puberty health and sex education needs. The findings identified the prevalence of co-development of online spaces with GIaNT+ youth. Several resources demonstrated online resources as modes of knowledge-making, community, as well as safe and unsafe spaces for GIaNT+ youth.

Conclusions: Several age-appropriate and gender-affirming online resources on puberty health and sex education are available for GIaNT+ youth via games, apps, social media, and online educational resources/open-access websites. Online spaces may offer connections, peer mentors, a sense of belonging, and both safe and unsafe spaces. Future online resources may consider puberty health and sex education, and the inclusion of GIaNT+ youth in the development and dissemination of resources.