'I hated the thought of a child I'd raised struggling with my history'
As she prepares to start hormone therapy, Juliet Jacques is forced to consider if she will ever want to be a parent. Should she save sperm for the future?
* Juliet Jacques
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guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 15 December 2010 10.20 GMT
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/14/transgender-freezing-spermFor transsexual people, a strong relationship with a GP is vital. Doctors cannot legally block access to medical services – since a ruling in 1999, they have been obliged to refer patients elsewhere if they morally oppose gender reassignment. Now, a good rapport remains necessary for more subtle reasons. Telling people that you are transsexual is difficult in any circumstance: it is impossible to get onto the NHS pathway without coming out to your GP, and for some people, the GP may be the first person s/he tells. If, in referral, the doctor shows an obvious negative attitude, the patient might feel reluctant to seek help for other medical concerns, whether directly related to their transsexual status or not.
