the doctor I initially saw for my first assessment was there and it was very helpful.
We had the new doctor, my original one, and a trainee. Everyone was welcoming. I was asked what the best way to describe why I was there and, after the last time, I was as blunt as possible, remembering to be as clear as I could through my nerves. I told them I do not see myself as male, I am female on the inside and that I want to see how I can transition.
We broke down how I feel, what areas of my life the dysphoria impacts, what I can do, my family situation and really broke down my identity struggles. It was friendly, not particularly invasive, but I was asked about hormones/surgery. I explained that hormones I would take if it means I can have the female body I want but surgery is not in my immediate plans, just like hormones, because fertility/sperm storage is in my plans. Instead of being condemned for this, they understood and were very helpful.
At the end of the session, I have been referred to seek gender specific therapy. What the doctors think is that my dysphoria is predominantly social based, with secondary sex characteristics being the next big one and genitals after that. I presented female and the doctors think I pass quite well, so if I can do something about my obvious male signs like body hair I could easily get real life experience presenting female a lot more. Rather than give me hormones right now. They want me to get real life experience in role more and see if that helps my feeling subside, though I do identify as female. This also gives me time to sort things with my family and move out too. So I will most likely see them in a year or two.
Im have come away very satisfied, and I was leaning towards these conclusions myself before I went anyway. Its been a weight off my shoulders to know Im not everything the last doctor told me I was.
