[The Oopster]

Originally Posted by Linus

So my question is this: do you assume that when going to non-LGBTQ medical personnel that you'll face discrimination? I wonder if we set ourselves up by having this constant fear over our heads based on the stories we constantly hear (the horror stories) and because of the stories we don't hear (the fabulous accepting ones).

I personally believe a lot of how we are received is the energy we put out ..

I've known people in the community really hesitant that have had bad experiences even with LGBTQ doctors.

I have had no problems within the medical community. I still have my birth name on all my id including health insurance ... sometimes I address the preferred name other times I don't. A lot of times the office it self catches on if they call me on the phone enough.

My regular dr knows and my chart still has my birth name but the head nurse I think is a gay guy and caught on and started calling me "he" and koop and then the other people in the office have picked it up.

At the hematology unit i've thought about addressing it mainly cause there are a lot of people that work there and i'm always getting new people and they are confused when I walk up and I just smile and say yes it's me.

Some people despite the name still assume i'm male and go boy your parents were cruel.

At the same place one of the nurses came up to draw my blood ... looked at me ... looked at the chart .... puts on this face like i'm not going to call you that and asks do you have a preferred name.

so far i have never had a bad experience ... most of my doctors are intriqued and ask some questions which i don't mind ... my biggest frustration is the moment something is wrong ... every medical professional and even people in my life that don't know much about T will go ... do you think it's the T?