Outing yourself to doctors?

[Chris968]

So last Tuesday I got injured at work (I work with severely handicapped children) and I ended up going to the hospital with a concussion.

The emergency room doctor was concerned I may have had my trachea crushed since I was kicked there (which resulted in me hitting my head).  He asked me to take my shirt off.

I am 1+ year post op, but my scars are still very noticeable.  He kind of looked at my chest and pointed at them and said "What are these from?"  I have not been to a doctor who doesn't know my trans status (I go to an LGBT health clinic) and therefore have not experienced having to out myself to a doctor.  I told him "I had chest surgery." and he kept pressing asking what kind.  It was kind of annoying, not to mention I REALLY didn't feel well.  I finally said "I had cysts removed" and he was just like "Oh, okay" and went along his business.

Do you find it necessary to reveal your trans status to medical professionals, even when it is not a related issue?  Should I have been honest with him, or was it none of his business?

[Sharky]

I wouldn't unless it was related.

[Mahsa Tezani]

I would assume the doctors usually know. I mean unless they slept through the skeletal structure part of medical school.

[Morgan.]

I don't think it's necessary unless it's related, and I don't think doctors should be pressing you to tell him unless it's related.
Don't sweat it. I don't think it was really any of his business in this situation. 

[Arch]

You can say that you had gynecomastia. It's basically true.

My dentist doesn't know I'm trans, and I don't see that it matters. But to a regular physician, especially in an emergency situation, I might very well out myself because what if I'm more badly injured than I thought? What if he wants to rule something out that I didn't even think of?

I saw a sleep specialist about eighteen months ago and outed myself because I thought he should know. I was female on my record, but nobody seems to look for that little tiny "F"; they go by what the patient looks like. So I told him.

Still, I'm not sure what I would have done in your shoes. And now that I think about it, I could have a heart attack while I'm getting a tooth filled or something. Who knows.

Is your trachea okay?

[JohnAlex]

Oh it was totally none of his business.  but I probably would have considered telling him the truth so that maybe he can recognize the scars on his next trans patient and not be so ignorant.
I think it's personal preference, though.  Up to you if you feel like telling him or not.

[bojangles]

Do you find it necessary to reveal your trans status to medical professionals, even when it is not a related issue?  Should I have been honest with him, or was it none of his business?

Have not been in this situation yet. Suspect I would play it by ear and do whatever is comfortable at the time. Then wonder if it was good enough, because it's uncharted waters and that's what I do. Then let it go.

No shoulds. If you really wish you'd done something different, do that next time.

[Adio]

You can say that you had gynecomastia. It's basically true.

This is what I would have said.  And truly, that's really none of his business after you said chest surgery.  Unless he thought it was lung transplant related, then why keep pressing the issue?

[cynthialee]

I would tell the doctor.
My luck I would withold and then promptly get told they needed to put a catheter in or some other sillyness bound to out me.

[Chris968]

I feel very uncomfortable outing myself.  I am 100% stealth.  But again, my concern was if for some bizarre reason he asked me to remove my pants, or if I end up in a medical situation where they have to remove my pants.

And yes my trachea and head are okay

[spacerace]

glad you're okay.

I can understand wanting to continue to be stealth, especially if you know you will never see the ER doctor again. If it was anything serious though,yes, he would need to know - but conversely, he would find out on his own really quickly once he completed any kind of physical exam, like if you were brought in for a serious injury where you were incapacitated.  I would just judge it situationally, as you did.

[Robert Scott]

I always out myself to the medical staff --- I consider transgender to be a medical condition and that when I am seeing them the more information they know then we can move onto the problem and they don't mistake something that can be attributed to transgender - like having high T levels when my records say female.

I also think that especially the more medical folks are exposed to it the more I help my brothers and sister b/c more doctors are exposed to transgender folks.

[Natkat]

I guess its a personaly choice,

for the moment I wouldnt,
its not because I felt I coudlnt be open about it but because theres been alot of trans fuss going on in my country,
and many doctors turned kinda scared of the topic + I also had some bad experience / known people with bad experience for being trans who came out to there doctors.

[anibioman]

i would say gynocomastia as that is the closest to the truth but i would avoid it at all cost i like being stealthy. going to the emergency room with my mom before i was living full time, i hated that i had to out myself when it isnt trans related at all (some stitches in my finger) cause parker isnt my legal name yet. everyone was still super nice.

[Felix]

I'd say it's up to you. That situation basically doesn't relate to your gender in the slightest, and I think you handled it well. I have to out myself all the time, because I can't change my legal name yet.

By the way, my daughter kicked a counselor in the throat on Monday. The school called and told me, and I really just didn't know how to respond. On behalf of your student's caregivers, I'm so sorry. Violence is never fun.

I was going to ask how on earth a kid could kick you in the throat, but I can think of some scenarios.