So there is a therapist that specializes in transgender issues, but he is in a town that it was not easy for me to get to so once I got referred to him a few years ago and the counseling center shared the paperwork there was a large gap until I could actually get there.
Having semi-high hopes of meeting someone that actually specializes in the topic I went in today, and those hopes weren't really met.
First off he didn't know the reason I was there, and was asking about how to pronounce my birth name (I explained to him shortly that he should drop that topic since I have a chosen name) and the topic of pronouns wasn't even mentioned. He didn't look at my file beforehand, let alone at the work that the other counselor did over half a year that would have made our first meeting more productive.
Then it kind of proceeds as normal, but then he says something that was downright insulting. He calls my hairstyle definitely girly (it isn't really, it was cut short a few months ago and then I didn't have the funds to trim it since, so its just shaggy) and that I dress androgenously (pants and a tshirt, standard fare, did I need to wear a suit and tie or something?). I didnt wear my binder to the meeting, since people that helped me with a ride aren't really aware of whats going on, but in retrospect it made me wish I was (it does hurt even though its the right size and is gc2b).
It just kind of gave off a vibe that I wasn't 'trans-enough' from the way he phrased addressing a sensitive topic of being unable to pass pre-everything.
Needed to vent about it since I went back to work and am in tears. I did make another appointment with him since he is the only trained person in the area but man, thats harsh.
