*** Trigger Warning ***Life on transgender waiting listhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/life-on-transgender-waiting-list/ar-BB1kcmEm?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=d1d27989fb874db39b18885c8ee83b24&ei=10Story by Maria Zaccaro & Jonathan Fagg (20 March 2024)
Waiting lists for all kinds of NHS treatments have been getting longer and longer, but for trans people the wait for a first appointment at a gender identity clinic can now be five years or more - despite a target of just 18 weeks. Here transgender people explain to the BBC how their wait has turned into a nightmare of severe anxiety, despair and in some cases, suicidal thoughts.
"It's a real feeling of just sinking into nothing," said 50-year-old Dee Greer, from Maidstone.
It was in 2019, after two failed marriages and two children, that she decided she wanted to medically transition and was referred to the Tavistock and Portman NHS clinic in London.
She has been on the clinic's waiting list for five years and is yet to see a doctor.
"It's a very sad situation to be in, waiting for something that's going to make your life real, whole, you don't feel fake all the time," she said.
Gender identity clinics are where people experiencing a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity - called gender dysphoria - are referred to by their GP.
At the clinics, doctors will decide if they can confirm the diagnosis of gender dysphoria. If they can, the patient can begin treatment, which can vary from changes to their voice to hormone treatment or surgery.===============================================================================
* Trans Lifeline: Provides peer support and crisis intervention for
transgender and non-binary people.
Call: 1-877-565-8860 or
Visit:
https://translifeline.org/ * The Trevor Project: Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention
services for LGBTQ+ youth.
Call: 1-866-488-7386 or visit:
Visit:
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ * The Trevor Project's resources for parents and allies:
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/friends-family-support-systems-for-lgbtq-youth/ * The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Offers support and
for people with mental health conditions, including LGBTQ+ individuals.
Visit:
https://www.nami.org/Home * The Jed Foundation: Provides mental health resources and suicide prevention
information for teens and young adults, including LGBTQ+ youth.
Visit:
https://jedfoundation.org/If you have any questions please contact any of the Moderation Staff for assistance.
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