NEW YORK (AP) — The challenge of photographing Christmastime in New York is that there is so much of it.
The big tree in Rockefeller Center. Ice skating in Central Park. The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. All those lavish, holiday-themed department store window displays.
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Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree into her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Andrew Leitz carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to his apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Olive TuPartie performs in Santa’s Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Keaton Miller performs in Santa’s Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, crosses Seventh Avenue while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, fist bumps a construction worker while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Janice Annunziata smiles at Catarina, 4, while taking part in the West Village Chorale’s 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
John Herzfeld, left, leads a group of carolers during the West Village Chorale’s 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers arrive for SantaCon via subway, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A reveller takes part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Nora and Rose Caldwell take photos with Santa outside of Rockefeller Center, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People watch the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The Radio City Rockettes perform the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers dance during the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Katarina Cannata laughs while filming a video in front of Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People window shop in Bryant Park’s Winter Village, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People depart Radio City Music Hall after a performance of Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People look at a Bergdorf Goodman window display on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Vlera Islami photographs the flagship Louis Vuitton building on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People visit Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Topview’s North Pole Express bus moves along Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive for the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Su and Mo Kyi take a selfie in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Snow falls during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kelly Clarkson reacts to snow during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People skate at Central Park’s Wollman Rink, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
This is the iconic New York tourists come to see. Visitors know it well from movies and television.
But millions of New Yorkers experience these remarkable sights in a different way. For them, this is home. Those department stores might be where they shop for presents. That famous rink might be where they take their kid to skate after school.
Over several weeks, Associated Press photographer Julia Nikhinson found ways to document both the familiar and unfamiliar sides of the holiday season in the city.
She found storybook images, like neighborhood carolers and an urban garden ablaze with light, while also capturing the city’s weirder side, including a holiday-themed burlesque show, a guy who roams the city impersonating a Christmas tree and an invasion of hard-drinking Santas.
And she photographed some of the ways a New York Christmas is different, like carrying a tree home under your arm after work because you don’t own a car.
Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree into her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Andrew Leitz carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to his apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Olive TuPartie performs in Santa’s Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Keaton Miller performs in Santa’s Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, crosses Seventh Avenue while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, fist bumps a construction worker while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Janice Annunziata smiles at Catarina, 4, while taking part in the West Village Chorale’s 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
John Herzfeld, left, leads a group of carolers during the West Village Chorale’s 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers arrive for SantaCon via subway, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A reveller takes part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Nora and Rose Caldwell take photos with Santa outside of Rockefeller Center, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People watch the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The Radio City Rockettes perform the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers dance during the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Katarina Cannata laughs while filming a video in front of Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People window shop in Bryant Park’s Winter Village, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People depart Radio City Music Hall after a performance of Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People look at a Bergdorf Goodman window display on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Vlera Islami photographs the flagship Louis Vuitton building on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People visit Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Topview’s North Pole Express bus moves along Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive for the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Su and Mo Kyi take a selfie in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Snow falls during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kelly Clarkson reacts to snow during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People skate at Central Park’s Wollman Rink, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
As U.S. lawmakers debate issues around health care for transgender youth, it’s been difficult to determine the number of young people receiving gender-affirming medications, leaving room for exaggerated and false claims.
Now, a medical journal has published the most reliable estimate yet and the numbers are low, reflecting more clearly on medical practices now being weighed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Fewer than 1 in 1,000 U.S. adolescents with commercial insurance received gender-affirming medications — puberty blockers or hormones — during a recent five-year period, according to the study released Monday.
At least 26 states have adopted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits. A decision by the Supreme Court in a Tennessee case is expected later this year. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to roll back protections for transgender people.
“We are not seeing inappropriate use of this sort of care,” said lead author Landon Hughes, a Harvard University public health researcher. “And it’s certainly not happening at the rate at which people often think it is.”
The researchers analyzed a large insurance claims database covering more than 5 million patients ages 8 to 17.
Only 926 adolescents with a gender-related diagnosis received puberty blockers from 2018 through 2022. During that time, 1,927 received hormones. The findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, suggest that fewer than 0.1% of all youth in the database received these medications.
The researchers found that no patients under age 12 were prescribed hormones, an indication that doctors are appropriately cautious about when to start such treatments, Hughes said.
“I hope that our paper cools heads on this issue and ensures that the public is getting a true sense of the number of people who are accessing this care,” he said.
The database included insurance plans in all 50 states, but did not include youth covered by Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for low-income people.
The study did not look at surgeries among transgender adolescents. Other researchers have found those procedures are extremely rare among young people.
Not all transgender youth proceed with medical treatments, said Dr. Scott Leibowitz, co-lead author of the adolescent standards of care for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, a leading transgender health group.
Transgender adolescents “come to understand their gender at different times and in different ways,” he said, noting that the best care should include experts in adolescent identity development who can work with families to help figure out what’s appropriate for each young person.
Leibowitz, who has worked in gender clinics in several U.S. cities, said the study “adds to the growing evidence base about best practices when serving transgender and gender diverse youth.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FILE – A vial of testosterone is prepared for injection at a home in Florida, on May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)