I have been thinking a lot about transition and the wait for psych assessment.
I have a few issues with transition in my country (Australia). Over here you have to wait a very long time to start HRT.
This might be well and good for some of us but to be blunt, I don't need a therapist to tell me who I am or sort out anything they feel needs to be sorted. Don't get me wrong, this is not an attack on therapy or anyone who attends therapy however it is not for me, I have never been a fan of seeing a therapist and don't really plan on making it a regular occurrence although if it is required for me to transition I don't have much of a choice.
Now to get to my question, has anyone ever gone through an online therapist or gone through the trouble to go overseas for informed consent? Can you even do something like that? it's not that I have a huge issue with waiting 2 or 3 months but over that? Give me a break. I have seen girls get their HRT in the US after their first appointment or 2. I don't think Australia has informed consent for this.. Please correct me if I'm wrong.. Also I am extremely sorry if this offends anyone, that's not my intention. I am just trying to explain how I feel and how I see things. I am completely comfortable in who I am, I don't need a therapist to tell me what I can and can't do or should and shouldn't do. I hope you ladies will understand what I'm trying to say. If you are for therapy, against it or even neutral, your insight would be welcomed with open arms. After all, we're here to support each other, discuss issues and all that other stuff us girls talk about. We're all different.
I don't know , but if you have private insurance or the money to do it you can go any where.
Therapist can let you know about things related to transition that you didn't think of. They also provide support for when things get tough. I wanted to do informed consent as well, but I am glad I didn't. My therapist and I have not always agreed on things, but it is nice to have a non biased opinion now and then. I think they are valuable to the transition process providing letters for HRT and SRS as well as letters acknowledging your transition so there are hopefully no problems related to bathrooms and locker room usage. Please consider using one. :)
Lucky for you, we have a small army of Aussies who will be able to guide you.
It is kinda' prime time, peak hour in America right now, but the demographic will change soon.
I read a post just recently by the Global Moderator Cindy, who is an Adelaide. I believe she said that the normal course of events is three meetings with the therapist, and then on to HRT, unless one is morbidly obese or has other medical contraindications.
I agree, most of us know our own minds. But when it comes to some of these momentous life-changing decisions, it is good to hear from a third party.
Thanks for the replies so far!
@Jessica - I will agree that times get tough, but I'm very thick skinned. Besides, transition is a piece of cake compared to what some of us transfolk have dealt with in our lives, right? I mean I don't know for sure cause I'm just me, we all come from different walks of life after all. With informed consent I wouldn't have many issues to deal with and as for public restrooms or change rooms, I never use them not because I'm trans but because I find them unsanitary. I'm a clean freak like that, haha.
@Tori - prime time peak hour? What do you mean by that? :o
@Jamie - yes there are typically 3 sessions over a 3 month period but before that is the waiting list which has people waiting 3 months or longer and that is too long for my liking. I have things to do, places to be. I can't be waiting around on someone that isn't going through what I and other transfolk go through. To most I may seem impatient, I'm not that old but I've lived long enough to make my own decisions.
I hope I'm not sounding rude, it's not the way I mean it.
I mean this is when Americans are generally awake and off work.
The Aussies will come out of the woodwork soon.
Sorry you have to wait. There will be quite a lot of waiting after you start HRT as well.
Patience is one of those qualities you're going to develop, if you transition. And many of us start off impatient.
There may be other methods to start HRT and gain letters etc, but likely nothing based on WPATH, and that could open up a whole bunch of complications for you further down the line. You're going to have a much easier time down the track if you follow the normal process now. Also consider things like referrals to endos, voice therapists etc that a psychologist can offer. They're there to help you from the start till the end.
While you may see the wait as pointless ( I waited ~5 months from calling the psych until the first pill ), HRT is only one part of transition. There are countless other things you can do in that time. Such as voice training, hair removal, weight gain/loss etc. I started all of those at the same time I made the first phone call, and sure am glad I did.
So yes, you do seem impatient. Don't let it get the better of you. There is so much you could be doing now towards transition besides HRT.
Good luck. xx
Quote from: Freyjja on January 13, 2014, 07:10:00 PM
I have been thinking a lot about transition and the wait for psych assessment.
I have a few issues with transition in my country (Australia). Over here you have to wait a very long time to start HRT.
This might be well and good for some of us but to be blunt, I don't need a therapist to tell me who I am or sort out anything they feel needs to be sorted. Don't get me wrong, this is not an attack on therapy or anyone who attends therapy however it is not for me, I have never been a fan of seeing a therapist and don't really plan on making it a regular occurrence although if it is required for me to transition I don't have much of a choice.
Now to get to my question, has anyone ever gone through an online therapist or gone through the trouble to go overseas for informed consent? Can you even do something like that? it's not that I have a huge issue with waiting 2 or 3 months but over that? Give me a break. I have seen girls get their HRT in the US after their first appointment or 2. I don't think Australia has informed consent for this.. Please correct me if I'm wrong.. Also I am extremely sorry if this offends anyone, that's not my intention. I am just trying to explain how I feel and how I see things. I am completely comfortable in who I am, I don't need a therapist to tell me what I can and can't do or should and shouldn't do. I hope you ladies will understand what I'm trying to say. If you are for therapy, against it or even neutral, your insight would be welcomed with open arms. After all, we're here to support each other, discuss issues and all that other stuff us girls talk about. We're all different.
I can understand what you are feeling. I'm in the U.S. and it took me 8 months to get a letter and another two months before I had the scripts in my hands. So, I can relate to what you are feeling right now. BUT, one thing that will help you is not to worry so much and just let time take its course. I was agonizing every frickin day until I popped the first pills. It didn't do me any favors at all. Just relax and let things go as they will. It will make it that much sweeter once you reach your goal.
One comment I'll make about waiting lists.. I was expecting a 3-6 month wait to see my therapist.. I waited maybe a month.. I expected the same kind of wait when I got my HRT referral, I waited 2 days..
I do sympathise, after all I went through the same system in the same place.
No one is delaying you getting therapy but there is a queue. There are people who booked ahead of you, would it be fair to bump them to let you ahead?
In Victoria the delay is massive, in Sydney there is one therapist who has a shorter queue, in WA there is no queue, there are no therapists so they join the Victorian list. In Brisbane much the same.
Believe it or not the informed consent model in Adelaide is one of the most liberal in the world, Callen-Lord the 'home' of informed consent can take a year for informed consent to be approved, and the wait to join the queue.
It is sad and can feel intolerable, there has been a three fold increase in referrals in SA and no other psychs are willing to join the party and accept TG people for therapy.
What are the three sessions in SA?
First take a history.
Second tell you what you are going to go through in every aspect of life.
Third are you willing to accept that
Then a referral to one of the two endos who are willing to treat TG people (MtF) it is easier for FtM.
Whose fault is this bottle neck? The Federal and State government. Not the therapists, not the endos, not the clients.
As Kelly said let the secretaries at the clinic know that you will take any cancellations then you may get bumped up.
In the mean time, get laser/electrolysis, get use to socialization, start the thousand things you need to transition. There is no law in Australia that prevents you living as you FT at any time.
I know some doctors here in QLD who operate on informed consent. Unfortunately for this very specific purpose there is a 4/5 chance you don't live in QLD (I mean, given the choice who would stay? ;) ) Cairns sexual health clinic is brilliant, and I know a woman who got on estrogen in 2 or 3 weeks with Dr Fiona Bisshop in Brisbane (although I don't know if she actually puts herself out there as someone supporting the informed consent model).
I haven't met anyone here in Brisbane who actually went to a gender therapist specifically. I know some doctors want you to have an official diagnosis, but no actual counselling first.
I'll also mention that I went in to therapy knowing who I was and what I wanted.. Rob's never seen me in 'guy mode'..
And I won't lie, he's been handy to have around from time to time.. He's also challenged me, upset me, asked things I didn't want him to and generally done all the things a good therapist should do.
Thanks for the words of wisdom and information girls. It's been a big help. I haven't had the best day and got a little crazy, sorry about that!
Why I understand a therapist is useful I'm still not sold on the idea, I can't predict the future though, so who knows what I'll decide. Whatever is faster and easier for me most likely and of that means a little travel expense, I'm okay with that. I don't have much facial hair at all and my goal is to prevent further change in my body before I have to leave for a vacation and I cannot disappoint my family by not going with them as it's the first family vacation we've had for a very long time! (I have a large family so we don't do on vacation often)
@Cindy - I would never ask such a thing, I wouldn't put someone in my shoes, that's why I was seeking informed consent. I really appreciate all the help and information you have provided me, it means the world, you're a gem Cindy :)
@Sir Wafflinton - I get the "who would stay" xD I used to live in Townsville as a kid xD haha
I did read about a man called Dr Darren Russell on Cairns. Really? I see :o would you mind telling me more? :) I am not apposed to travel :) would she also write for an endo or not?
Thanks all of you! So many replies and I really am grateful for each and every word you girls have given me :) hope you all have a wonderful day.
QuoteNo one is delaying you getting therapy but there is a queue. There are people who booked ahead of you, would it be fair to bump them to let you ahead?
It's not that you're having to wait, there's just a long line ???
I suppose that's one way to look at it! :D :D :D
Freyjja, you're correct about the ease of obtaining HRT in the U.S. And I agree with you feelings about requiring approval from a therapist.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 14, 2014, 08:45:10 AM
Why I understand a therapist is useful I'm still not sold on the idea, I can't predict the future though, so who knows what I'll decide. Whatever is faster and easier for me most likely and of that means a little travel expense, I'm okay with that. I don't have much facial hair at all and my goal is to prevent further change in my body before I have to leave for a vacation and I cannot disappoint my family by not going with them as it's the first family vacation we've had for a very long time! (I have a large family so we don't do on vacation often)
I didn't see any need for a therapist to start with.. Turns out he was handy - not so much for gender issues, as I already had that sorted, but very handy for offloading a life times worth of baggage..
I think I also got most benefit from my gender therapist for the 'general' issues in my life. But regarding trans issues, it's very helpful to have a confidant you can be 100% open with.
Sometimes I wonder if Canada is the only civilized place concerning HRT, and gender in general. Most endos here work on informed consent, or if they demand therapy, one or two visits ought to do it. I feel sorry for you girls who thru' geography, or outdated medical practices, are made to jump thru' hoops to obtain what is universally known as proven therapy. Do medical gatekeepers not know that to someone suffering from GD badly enough to seek treatment, that even a few months can be critical?
When I approached my Dr. about HRT, I expected the runaround. When he said 'Sure, let's go ahead with HRT', I was taken aback. I asked him about gatekeepers. He had some interesting responses.
-In a time that ten year olds can order HRT over the internet, the gatekeeper has become obsolete.
-HRT is a diagnostic tool. If it turns out you are NOT TS, you will not like it, and stop.
-With the information avail. on the net, most patients walk in with an excellent knowledge of dosages, effects, and side effects. Most TS's know more about hormones than GP's.
-Most Doctors, even in remote areas, know that the most common side effect of NOT prescribing HRT, is suicide.
It is time for medicine to catch up to common sense. Doctors who are reluctant to prescribe are usually doing it out of social/religious pressures, not sound medical knowledge.
Yes Paula! Exactly, I agree 100%
I don't understand why we all can't make our own choices. Therapy should be a choice, not a requirement.
@Kelly and Nikko - I have had enough therapy in teen years to last a life time. General issues aren't a big problem for me. While I respect people who decide on or require therapy, I am a stubborn woman who takes my problems on alone. I am just more of a lone wolf type. I don't like to let people know my issues, I solve them myself and if I can't, I just live with it. I am very happy with all aspects in my life. I have a wonderful family and financial stability. My only issue is with my body and T. Other than that I am pretty happy with life.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 13, 2014, 07:10:00 PM
I have a few issues with transition in my country (Australia). Over here you have to wait a very long time to start HRT.
This wasn't my experience. I spent three sessions with a Sydney psychiatrist before he gave me the green light for HRT (he said he'd have given them to me after the first session if I'd asked). I started taking HRT as soon as I could get an appointment with an endo. So all up, it took a few months, but there were no arbitrary delays imposed upon my getting HRT. What gives you the impression that it takes so long to start HRT in Australia?
Ahh, typical, the 'I've therapy before and I don't need it' schtick. The 'Me,me,me,me,me,me!' schtick..
You realise that even Informed Consent places will assess you, right? And they can choose not to take you as a patient?
It took me 4 months to start HRT - and the WPATH Conference (which both my therapist and gyno went to) and the Christmas/New Years period fell that time. And, frankly, I don't know anyone here in Adelaide who has waited as long as you claim.
Oh, and if you want to complain about the lack of therapists and doctors, blame the State Government and the 'Gender Reassignment Act' - not the medics..
And one other thing, I'm on waiting lists for treatment in Vic, as I plan to move there this year.. It's looking like I might need to keep travelling back and forth for a little while - the waiting lists there are truly horrendous, even for those of us already on HRT..
Quote from: Paulagirl on January 14, 2014, 09:45:52 AM
Sometimes I wonder if Canada is the only civilized place concerning HRT, and gender in general. Most endos here work on informed consent, or if they demand therapy, one or two visits ought to do it. I feel sorry for you girls who thru' geography, or outdated medical practices, are made to jump thru' hoops to obtain what is universally known as proven therapy. Do medical gatekeepers not know that to someone suffering from GD badly enough to seek treatment, that even a few months can be critical?
When I approached my Dr. about HRT, I expected the runaround. When he said 'Sure, let's go ahead with HRT', I was taken aback. I asked him about gatekeepers. He had some interesting responses.
-In a time that ten year olds can order HRT over the internet, the gatekeeper has become obsolete.
-HRT is a diagnostic tool. If it turns out you are NOT TS, you will not like it, and stop.
-With the information avail. on the net, most patients walk in with an excellent knowledge of dosages, effects, and side effects. Most TS's know more about hormones than GP's.
-Most Doctors, even in remote areas, know that the most common side effect of NOT prescribing HRT, is suicide.
It is time for medicine to catch up to common sense. Doctors who are reluctant to prescribe are usually doing it out of social/religious pressures, not sound medical knowledge.
Paula, 3 therapy visits is hardly onerous.. Seriously. The wait here lists are not as she claims, although I have no doubt she was told they were long - I know I was. I'm fairly certain my gyno knows more about HRT than me, as educated as I am, she's published in peer-reviewed medical jourmals. As mentioned in my comment to the OP, we also have some state law here that complicates things.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 13, 2014, 07:10:00 PM
I have been thinking a lot about transition and the wait for psych assessment.
I have a few issues with transition in my country (Australia). Over here you have to wait a very long time to start HRT.
This might be well and good for some of us but to be blunt, I don't need a therapist to tell me who I am or sort out anything they feel needs to be sorted. Don't get me wrong, this is not an attack on therapy or anyone who attends therapy however it is not for me, I have never been a fan of seeing a therapist and don't really plan on making it a regular occurrence although if it is required for me to transition I don't have much of a choice.
Now to get to my question, has anyone ever gone through an online therapist or gone through the trouble to go overseas for informed consent? Can you even do something like that? it's not that I have a huge issue with waiting 2 or 3 months but over that? Give me a break. I have seen girls get their HRT in the US after their first appointment or 2. I don't think Australia has informed consent for this.. Please correct me if I'm wrong.. Also I am extremely sorry if this offends anyone, that's not my intention. I am just trying to explain how I feel and how I see things. I am completely comfortable in who I am, I don't need a therapist to tell me what I can and can't do or should and shouldn't do. I hope you ladies will understand what I'm trying to say. If you are for therapy, against it or even neutral, your insight would be welcomed with open arms. After all, we're here to support each other, discuss issues and all that other stuff us girls talk about. We're all different.
I don't know I guess I'm weird I love therapy. It would bum me out if I realized I was transgender and had to wait a long time to get medicine. For me ,I was in therapy for painful depression all my life. I never been closer to suicide than at that moment. The doctors got me to admit to myself I was a transgender and I immediately started HRT. It happened so fast I didn't know what hit me, But I'm a happy little camper.
Three sessions for me too (sydney). But before I had a psychiatrist who was not experienced in the field who claimed to be. He said it would be a long therapy process and take many sessions. Git.
Make sure you have a gender therapist. Start laser you will feel heaps better.
Australia does need a better model. The fact we need surgery to change our gender marker is embarrassingly archaic.
Quote from: Emmaline on January 14, 2014, 05:05:26 PM
Australia does need a better model. The fact we need surgery to change our gender marker is embarrassingly archaic.
Actually, we don't need to have surgery to change gender markers.. What we need is for the High Court to enforce it's decision in states other than WA.. It should be doable in any state, provided you are willing to fight the fight - there's existing precedent, so it's unlikely to be a long case..
Also, on the strength of a letter from my therapist, various government agencies have corrected my gender marker.. My passport ID's me as female.. Tax Office. Medicare, Centrelink, you name it..
The only thing that still ID's me as male is my birth cert - the one document I never, ever use... And until same sex marriage is legal in Aus, I have no interest in changing my BC - it will enable me to marry the woman I want.
Okay Kelly, that's your opinion. We are all different.
However, it is not "me, me, me" shtick. I never once said it's all about me and that I should get what I want instantly now. I also never complained about the lack of therapists here. How you choose to interpret my words is your problem, not mine. I'm just saying I don't need therapy. Some people do, some people don't and I should be able to make that choice on my own accord. I have not once blamed anyone in my post.
Everyone has a different waiting time, sure but I have been told a 3 month wait for a psych appointment and each therapy appointment roughly a month apart.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 14, 2014, 05:22:28 PM
Everyone has a different waiting time, sure but I have been told a 3 month wait for a psych appointment and each therapy appointment roughly a month apart.
Got told exactly the same thing..
Yes but have you ever considered you just got lucky? All different things depend on how long we have to wait.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 14, 2014, 05:22:28 PM
Okay Kelly, that's your opinion. We are all different.
However, it is not "me, me, me" shtick. I never once said it's all about me and that I should get what I want instantly now. I also never complained about the lack of therapists here. How you choose to interpret my words is your problem, not mine. I'm just saying I don't need therapy. Some people do, some people don't and I should be able to make that choice on my own accord. I have not once blamed anyone in my post.
From someone much further down the road, you're about to embark on the biggest social, physical and mental change of your life. To categorically say you don't need therapy seems a bit strange considering you've not even begun to experience those changes.
There's just so many benefits to having a TG psychologist to work with. Why anyone would see this as a problem or hindrance is beyond me. Note, I'm not talking about approval/referral for HRT here, rather other therapy needs.
Just seems silly not to take all the help you can get.
@Sammy - I can not relate to this because I have always had really long hair, worn make-up and certain female clothing. I was mistaken for and called a female a lot of the time so the social transition isn't anything new to me really. I grew up very much being who I wanted to be without saying "I'm a girl" or any of that. On top of that I am not a social person. I have a best friend and a family, that's pretty much all I need. I'm in a happy place in life, I really don't see me needing to pay someone to listen to me talk. Therapy is helpful for some, I'm not saying it isn't, It is just not my cup of tea.
I'll say again, I hope no one is offended. This is just my opinion and how I feel about myself, not others.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 14, 2014, 05:54:49 PM
@Sammy - I can not relate to this because I have always had really long hair, worn make-up and certain female clothing. I was mistaken for and called a female a lot of the time so the social transition isn't anything new to me really. I grew up very much being who I wanted to be without saying "I'm a girl" or any of that. On top of that I am not a social person. I have a best friend and a family, that's pretty much all I need. I'm in a happy place in life, I really don't see me needing to pay someone to listen to me talk. Therapy is helpful for some, I'm not saying it isn't, It is just not my cup of tea.
I'll say again, I hope no one is offended. This is just my opinion and how I feel about myself, not others.
In this case I wish you the very best in your journey. I'm sure you know that HRT is still going to make some profound mental changes. Don't underestimate them :).
xx
Thank you very much :) I wish you the best also!
I really am thankful for all of the help I have gotten here in such a short time.
I completely agree about the mental/physical changes and I'm ready to face them head on~
Way back in "the bad old days" I knew I was TS from the first time I heard the term and was living part-time en femme by age 14. I was "officially diagnosed" in a 15 minute appointment by Dr. Benjamin in 1966 at the age of 16 but it took another year to find a sympathetic doctor - partly because I was under legal age (21). At 17 the doctor (a gynecologist) started HRT on the second visit - after a blood test. I never saw a therapist but was referred for a "psychological assessment" to determine my 'sanity' to make the decision to have surgery years before surgery was even possible. I KNEW where I needed to be and I guess it was obvious because I was at every door waiting for it to open! I did okay.
If I were caught up in today's world of 'gatekeepers' I doubt I would have survived! But then I was absolutely certain and was forever pushing the limits.
Kia Ora,
I wonder what would happen if there were no control measures in place and people in the West could buy hormones over-the-counter at their local pharmacy ? Like what happens in many Asian countries...
I wonder :eusa_think:
Whilst some no doubt would self-regulate(do the right thing in order to safe guard their health) for others it might end up becoming a free for all pill popping party with deadly consequences ...
Metta Zenda :)
To be honest, I'm glad that hormones aren't just available over the counter. While it's more or less just a formality in Australia, I liked that I had to go through a GP, gender therapist and endo. It was a relatively brief journey, but I learnt and discovered a lot of things that I would not have had I just bought hormones OTC.
Quote from: JS on January 14, 2014, 07:12:13 PM
To be honest, I'm glad that hormones aren't just available over the counter. While it's more or less just a formality in Australia, I liked that I had to go through a GP, gender therapist and endo. It was a relatively brief journey, but I learnt and discovered a lot of things that I would not have had I just bought hormones OTC.
+1
Quote from: JS on January 14, 2014, 07:12:13 PM
To be honest, I'm glad that hormones aren't just available over the counter. While it's more or less just a formality in Australia, I liked that I had to go through a GP, gender therapist and endo. It was a relatively brief journey, but I learnt and discovered a lot of things that I would not have had I just bought hormones OTC.
And while this likely doesn't apply to the OP, those few months allowed me a bit of a cooling off period. When I first came out to my partner (which ended really badly), I went into a kind of trans-mania. I was talking about getting SRS as soon as I could. I wanted to get laser hair removal. I wanted to go out in public as a female. I was wondering where to start with FFS. I wanted hormones. And I wanted all these things immediately. You get the picture. But as I pushed through three tiers health professionals, I began to calm down, smell the roses and get back to a more rational mental state. Suddenly there was no rush to become female overnight. I proceeded with HRT and loved it, but I realised that my journey may not be the same as others who
do want to go down the road of full transition. Part of the realisation that I didn't want to take this journey (at least not right now) was because I had a chance to talk to people, get answers to questions that I would never have thought to ask and, basically, just talk through
my particular situation. I'm off HRT now (after two separate 6-month stints), but I imagine that I will get back on them again in the near future. I guess that's just me, stuck somewhere between genders and trying to find my way. I'm just glad that I had some time to work that out.
Quote from: Freyjja on January 14, 2014, 08:45:10 AM
@Sir Wafflinton - I get the "who would stay" xD I used to live in Townsville as a kid xD haha
I did read about a man called Dr Darren Russell on Cairns. Really? I see :o would you mind telling me more? :) I am not apposed to travel :) would she also write for an endo or not?
Townsville, ouch, that makes sunny Bris Vegas look like San Fransisco in terms of queer acceptance XD
Dr Darren Russell is the guy. I never met him in person but we had some email correspondence and he seemed like a really nice man who genuinely cares about the community. Sorry but I can't tell you any more about Dr Bisshop because I saw her when I was under 18 so she wouldn't treat me (hearing those words were like taking a baseball bat to the stomach, I can tell you that). I have just heard good things about her from other people I know. It might make sense to search her up and give them a call about your own specific concerns.
Haha, you're telling me! xD
I see, thanks a lot for your help! I'll definitely do some research :)
I can imagine, that would be an awful thing to hear!
Quote from: JS on January 14, 2014, 08:56:56 PM
And while this likely doesn't apply to the OP, those few months allowed me a bit of a cooling off period. When I first came out to my partner (which ended really badly), I went into a kind of trans-mania. I was talking about getting SRS as soon as I could. I wanted to get laser hair removal. I wanted to go out in public as a female. I was wondering where to start with FFS. I wanted hormones. And I wanted all these things immediately. You get the picture. But as I pushed through three tiers health professionals, I began to calm down, smell the roses and get back to a more rational mental state. Suddenly there was no rush to become female overnight. I proceeded with HRT and loved it, but I realised that my journey may not be the same as others who do want to go down the road of full transition. Part of the realisation that I didn't want to take this journey (at least not right now) was because I had a chance to talk to people, get answers to questions that I would never have thought to ask and, basically, just talk through my particular situation. I'm off HRT now (after two separate 6-month stints), but I imagine that I will get back on them again in the near future. I guess that's just me, stuck somewhere between genders and trying to find my way. I'm just glad that I had some time to work that out.
JS
Similar experience. After aggressive FFS and hrt I slowed down. Met a broader range of counsellors and members of the tg community while continuing with electrolysis and laser. Even removed some breast growth. Now my emotional and physical transition feel in sync, relationships are sound and I feel in control and a whole lot more authentic. I am not sure that I feel stuck between 2 genders, rather that I am deciding who I am, how I present and how I will occur to myself and to others. Perhaps I will binarise, but even if I don't then I will still be in a much richer and happier place.
Also agree that Australia, while better than most, still provides less support than is required by our community.
Quote from: Gerri_2013 on January 18, 2014, 03:11:23 PM
Australia, while better than most, still provides less support than is required by our community.
I think that's true of any Australian health sector, which is currently stretched to breaking point. And I don't see it getting any better under the current government (even though health is a so-called "state issue").