Ask a trans person!

[EnderD_503]

Originally Posted by always2late

I have a question...and I guess this is the forum to ask...I recently started grad school (yay!). Although classes started earlier this week, our class orientation for my cohort was today. During orientation we were taught how to use a new computer system contracted by the school in order to keep track of our clinical hours. As a Speech-language Pathology grad student, I will be seeing clients in a variety of settings. The new computer program allows us to enter information about the client, such as age, gender, etc... When it came to the prompt for gender, there was a drop down box containing the three acceptable responses. They were "male," "female," and "transgender." So...my question is, do you think this is appropriate? My thoughts on the matter are that if your client states they are male, or female, shouldn't that be how you identify their gender? Is it necessary to identify them as transgender when they identify as a particular gender? What are your thoughts?

I think its only right to identify a client as transgender if they explicitly identify themselves that way or say they're comfortable being identified that way on the drop down. Could be some trans people would prefer to just put in the sex they identify as rather than just "transgender." Some might like it, others might not.

But overall I think those drop down options are limited. Putting someone simply down as "transgender" isn't going to tell much about them as far as their identity to begin with, since many people under the trans umbrella will identify as transmale/transfemale/gender neutral/genderqueer. A lot of places seem to be changing their options to put in a transgender one, but I really think it needs to be expanded beyond that, otherwise its pretty pointless and almost stigmatising in my opinion. What I like at a few clinics I've been to lately is that they let you pen in your own identity under some kind of "other" option. So you basically get to put in whatever detail you feel comfortable with, if you feel like it at all. Others will actually have trans man, trans woman, intersex and gender queer/gender neutral categories in addition to male/female. I think that's better as it doesn't just lump all trans people into a faceless "transgender" category.

[Corkey]

http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/new-yo...rimination-act

[Greyson]

What I have in the title is what I read on my discharge papers from a recent hospital stay. This hospital is located in Berkeley, CA. Berkeley the alleged land of Progressives.

I was baffled when I read this. All of my I.D. says "Male." I always identify when asked or I volunteer the information as Transgender. I never refer to myself as a transsexual. Just my preference. Does not have to be yours. I also never refer to myself as "Female." If I did see myself as 100% woman, I would say, I am a woman, not "female." I let them know I am transgender because I want the authorities and others to know I am not a cisman. I always clarify, "I am legally a male."

For me it is frustrating at times. I do not think gender is restricted to only two genders and many of us are Trans with varying degrees of femininity and masculinity.

I never thought I would feel this way, but I am getting tired of trying to fit into a defined box. I am a person and I am Queer. Thanks for letting me rant.

[firegal]

Originally Posted by Greyson

What I have in the title is what I read on my discharge papers from a recent hospital stay. This hospital is located in Berkeley, CA. Berkeley the alleged land of Progressives.

I was baffled when I read this. All of my I.D. says "Male." I always identify when asked or I volunteer the information as Transgender. I never refer to myself as a transsexual. Just my preference. Does not have to be yours. I also never refer to myself as "Female." If I did see myself as 100% woman, I would say, I am a woman, not "female." I let them know I am transgender because I want the authorities and others to know I am not a cisman. I always clarify, "I am legally a male."

For me it is frustrating at times. I do not think gender is restricted to only two genders and many of us are Trans with varying degrees of femininity and masculinity.

I never thought I would feel this way, but I am getting tired of trying to fit into a defined box. I am a person and I am Queer. Thanks for letting me rant.

Grey you are my bro.....as in bromance! Love and respect you brother...and say hi to your sweet wonderfull wife!

terry

[EnderD_503]

Originally Posted by Greyson

What I have in the title is what I read on my discharge papers from a recent hospital stay. This hospital is located in Berkeley, CA. Berkeley the alleged land of Progressives.

I was baffled when I read this. All of my I.D. says "Male." I always identify when asked or I volunteer the information as Transgender. I never refer to myself as a transsexual. Just my preference. Does not have to be yours. I also never refer to myself as "Female." If I did see myself as 100% woman, I would say, I am a woman, not "female." I let them know I am transgender because I want the authorities and others to know I am not a cisman. I always clarify, "I am legally a male."

For me it is frustrating at times. I do not think gender is restricted to only two genders and many of us are Trans with varying degrees of femininity and masculinity.

I never thought I would feel this way, but I am getting tired of trying to fit into a defined box. I am a person and I am Queer. Thanks for letting me rant.

Sorry you had that experience, Greyson, that really sucks! Hospitals here are like that as well. Really wish the medical community would get their shit together, and especially since your legal id has been amended!

Edit: one thing I don't understand at some clinics here. Some of them now do actually give you options on your records to tick what you identify as, but then on the front of your record they put the sex you were assigned at birth. For example, one clinic I went to let me check male and trans, but then on the front of my records put female. I just wonder what the point is of them giving you the option (for people who don't have their id changed) when they aren't going to use that information.

[LoyalWolfsBlade]

Hi always and everyone else. As fir your male, female, transgender question personally I find transgender to be an umbrella politically correct word that feels as if it is forced on us. There is a time and place to be PC however even then you. (a general you) should always take the persons whishes into account.

Again this is just personally to me and my beliefs I am offended by the term transgender and no one has a right to tell anyone I am not a male. After all I have fought all my life to be seen by others the way I see myself, as a male. That is why I use FtM and not trans at this stage of my medical transition simply because it is honest. Once I have completed the process I will identify myself as male. Period. At that point it will be me that decides who knows and when they know that I am not a cis-male. As far as the government is concerned I am already legally a male at least on my government ids and just waiting on the birth certificate decision to take the final step.

So as for your question I think the best answer is to check whichever one the client tells you. Couldn't you ask how do you id instead of what is your gender? I do think if they include transgender as an option they should also include other with a space to expand on that. In my experience more and more younger "transgender" folks identify mote along the spectrum of two spirit and the older ones like myself stick to the terms we grew up with whether that is FtM or MtF.

~Alix~

[LoyalWolfsBlade]

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

Sorry you had that experience, Greyson, that really sucks! Hospitals here are like that as well. Really wish the medical community would get their shit together, and especially since your legal id has been amended!

Edit: one thing I don't understand at some clinics here. Some of them now do actually give you options on your records to tick what you identify as, but then on the front of your record they put the sex you were assigned at birth. For example, one clinic I went to let me check male and trans, but then on the front of my records put female. I just wonder what the point is of them giving you the option (for people who don't have their id changed) when they aren't going to use that information.

My guess would be that the birth gender is used for insurance purpose, so they match and the actually gender you use is for them on how to address you. I sure wish more places made that simple effort. Even in Oregon they had to pit the gender on your birth certificate on all official paper work. Simply bcs of insurance at least that is how my doctor explained it. However my doctor did refer to me with make pronouns through out my chart and on all correspondence that I requested from her, I was lucky that way.

[DapperButch]

Ender, I can see where they would leave Female on you chart if you are not "legally" male, as Knightsblade says, for insurance purposes. They need to bill with the legal sex. But, does it need to be on the front of the chart? I don't see why that is necessary.

They ask for your preferred pronoun/gender somewhere else in the chart because:
a) they want you to feel comfortable
b) they want to pretend like they give want you to feel comfortable so that they "look good" (for political reasons, such as HRC's health index ratings).

Originally Posted by ~KnightsBlade~

My guess would be that the birth gender is used for insurance purpose, so they match and the actually gender you use is for them on how to address you. I sure wish more places made that simple effort. Even in Oregon they had to pit the gender on your birth certificate on all official paper work. Simply bcs of insurance at least that is how my doctor explained it. However my doctor did refer to me with make pronouns through out my chart and on all correspondence that I requested from her, I was lucky that way.

[Gemme]

I found a story and while I am glad that this couple has found a way to get married, I feel that this is a step back for those who truly are trans and who truly are trying to be the person they were meant to be. I don't believe that transgender is a "loophole" in the system and I feel that they have taken the hard fought progress a step backwards.

What really kicked me in the gut is when she says, "Jacki is so authentic." This scenario feels as far away from authentic as you can get.

So, transguys and transgals, what do you think?

Christine and Jacki

In 2006, "Oprah Show" viewers met Christine, a mother of two who made a surprising confession to her husband, Joe, after seven years of marriage: She was gay. But she wasn't the only one in the family with a secret. Joe was gay, too.

During that episode, the divorced couple shared their story, from when they each realized their true sexuality to how the truth came out. Two-and-a-half years later, Christine appeared on "Oprah" again, revealing that, even though she felt most comfortable in relationships with women, she had gone back to dating men. "I really can't label myself," Christine told Oprah back then.

It's now been eight years since audiences first met Christine. She tells "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" that life today has never been better. While she and Joe don't have much of a relationship beyond Facebook, Christine has a new spouse -- and an intense story about what it took to make their marriage happen.

Christine's wife, Jacki, first saw her on "The Oprah Show." "When the camera panned over to her, my initial response was, 'Oh, my God. That woman's beautiful,'" Jacki recalls. "I would have never thought she was a lesbian if I saw her walking the streets."

After running into each other several times, the two began dating. Christine says she fell in love with Jacki's authenticity and proposed to her three years ago. The women were looking forward to being married, but there was a big problem: During the time they were engaged, gay marriage was not legal in their state of California.

"Even though we were fighting a good fight, I wasn't feeling very optimistic about it," Christine admits.

That's when Jacki discovered a loophole.

"I started looking into transgender. In the eyes of the courts, if I were to have my gender changed to male, just like that, she gets my Social Security, she gets my pension," Jacki says.

So, Jacki elected to have a double mastectomy. In April 2013, she officially changed her sex to "male" on her birth certificate. She and Christine soon married and just celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary last month.

"I was so overwhelmed that somebody would do such a thing," Christine says of Jacki's selflessness. "It was the biggest act of love anyone's ever done for me."

[Nadeest]

I do think that you should give the client the option to say how they define themselves, on that form. Why don't you just ask them, then , when going to the menu to set it down, leave it blank, and make a note elsewhere on the form, as to what your clients defines themselves as?

You might have to go to the appropriate authorities to get this change into the system, but I submit that it is worth it. For example, if someone is identifying as 'genderqueer', I really don't think that it is a good way to build trust between you two, by misidentifying them.

Thank you very much, though, for asking this question.

[LoyalWolfsBlade]

Ok I have a question or two. Bear with me if I word it wrong.
It has been some years now since I have had to deal with the medical profession in a state where sexuality nevermind being FtM is not protected from discrimination. Well that is what I am facing here in Georgia.

So my question is how would you approach a new doctor knowing this and needing to make sure you find one un a timely manner since I only have enough T to last me a couple of months. In Oregon my gp handled my T and all the follow up for being on it. Also will I have to get another therapist letter even though I have been on T for a year with both a letter and signed informed consent.

If I rambled to much and you're not sure what I am asking please just let me know. Thanks for reading my question.