Transgender medical care 101

Transgender medical care is suicide prevention.

I recently attended a medical meeting and heard a fascinating talk about transgender care for primary care physicians.

Physicians often fear that we are going to do harm if we offer gender affirming medication or surgery.  We are concerned that they will have regrets down the road.  Studies have shown that 95% are happy with their changes.  Within the 5% who are unhappy, most say that they regret changing because it was hard and disruptive (family/friends/cost of treatment/time-intensity of treatment).

Gender affirming care is a spectrum. 

• It starts with using the pronouns and names that they request.
• Patients can change their dress. 
• Tucking, packing and binding to have the profile that fits their gender identity.
• Medications
• Surgery

Physicians should invite openness into their exam space.  Consider that we all are on a gender spectrum: (Do I prefer to wear pants? Am I the breadwinner in the family?) and that if we are aware of our privilege this would be helpful. Here’s a great privilege checklist to appreciate what is YOUR privilege?

See my future blog posts on more information about transgender medical care…