How hard is it for an androgynous person to get permission for horomones? I admit that's one thing I'm worried about...being denied horomones because I am non binary.
I would say about as easy for anyone else assuming a good therapist (or informed consent doc), worse comes to worse can make a "public image" for the gatekeeper.
Might be good to get a recommendation. The important thing is you can demonstrate that you understand what the hormones will and will not do and you understand the risks. Even though much of the SOC seems to focus more on the Mtf spectrum, there is wording in there to the effect that hormones shouldn't be denied based on whether the individual plans a full transition. I think Simone Louise recently made a thread on that.
I think it probably depends on which gender clinic you walk into. From what I've read. The old standards are going to be followed some places, others will have realizd they're not a one-size-fits-all.
After talking with my therapist for some time, I was recommended to see a psycologist at the UofM (MN) with their Program in Human Sexuality/Center for Sexual Health. After discussing my situation as an Androgyne, which took several sessions, I was approved for low dose HRT. I'm waiting for the results for the bloodwork, and then I'll get together with their physician again for another 'talk', and she will write out my scripts.
None of the process has been anymore difficult than I have made it, by doubting my therapist and then the U people. Its been simple, informative, and most importantly, supportive. Never once was I treated without respect as an Androgyne. They are looking forward to expanding the knowledge and data bases with the expectation that there are going to be more and more Androgynes walking in their doors.
If anyone is in the MN area, PM me if you would like more info. There is a person that travels up from Texas even for treatment, etc.
I'm happy and satisfied with how things are going for me there, and long term care is also in the works with seeing the psychologist and doc to help me along in the future.
I can also say good things about the UofM. The most supportive people work there, and I'm really happy I went there.
My one experience so far talking to someone about hormones has been with a counselor who is very TS-friendly and supporting the idea of informed consent, and was receptive to my idea to partially transition and feminize my body yet live as a male most of the time. She said that TS surgery is so expensive that if full transition plans were a requirement then very few people would get hormones.
I think it would really depend on who you're talking to, and how much therapy in general they believe people need before electing for hormones. The person i've consulted isn't true informed consent since they require either 5-8 psychotherapy sessions or one long day session before approving the hormones, but it's still much fewer hoops I'll have to jump through than what i've seen around here.
Quote from: Espenoah on January 25, 2011, 06:48:20 AM
I can also say good things about the UofM. The most supportive people work there, and I'm really happy I went there.
my experience is the opposite, in that they are gatekeepers to the letter, and refused to help my until I had not only stopped diy hrt, but intended to not assist in the surgery process until 18 months time.
Quote from: ativan on January 24, 2011, 10:24:15 PM
None of the process has been anymore difficult than I have made it, by doubting my therapist and then the U people. Its been simple, informative, and most importantly, supportive. Never once was I treated without respect as an Androgyne.
the psychologist I was assigned there not only refused to recognize non-binary identities, but classified my sexuality as a disorder.
furthermore, I was subject to answer questions suited for sex offenders, not gender identity
in short, I would not only not recommend university of minnesota, but would advise to avoid both PHS and the physicians group
It's funny; I've heard similar things about the University of Michigan, which is the UofM I'm familiar with.
My therapist has been very supportive and awesome about my identity. She was pretty careful about hormones, but did end up writing me a letter and being in full support. She does Skype therapy so anyone from anywhere could contact her. (It's new to her practice, she'd not done Skype when my spouse and I first started with her)
If interested, PM me and I'll gladly pass along her info.
a lot of genderqueer people on you tube seem to think that the only way for non binary people to get hormones is to say I am binary (Man in woman's body) then to say "I've changed my mind when they get to the point where they want to be" personally I think this is not a good way to go about getting medical treatment, I can't lie about myself & I have a valid identity, I need to tell doctors what I am and what I need while educating them on gender diversity, If you can't handle educating medical people about who you are then the lie to get treatment may just work for you to get what you need. But only if you are happy to lie.
Honesty is the best policy but there are plenty of people who have gone other routes.
Oh gosh, this is all making me want to try getting some hormones... But the budget fairy says no.
Quote from: Espenoah on January 25, 2011, 06:48:20 AM
I can also say good things about the UofM. The most supportive people work there, and I'm really happy I went there.
Flan, I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with PHS, I remember you commenting about them about a yr ago. I know the sex offender questions from the testing part. I was warned about some of the questions not being relevant and to ignore, write N/A, or comment if I wanted to about them. There were more than just the sex offender ones that I glossed over or even answered as they were obviously a multi-purpose test. They use multiple tests, and are working on new ones that are more relevant to Androgynes. And among all transgender people.
If anyone is interested, this is their website or you can google UofM PHS and find them.
http://www.phs.umn.edu/about/home.html (http://www.phs.umn.edu/about/home.html)
It is getting easier and at more places to get low dose HRT as an Androgyne all the time. If you are having a problem because they only will do full blown transitional HRT, suggest to them that they can get current information from the UofM PHS. They are happy to help out. It's also one of the things they do there.
rite, have you looked into state aid, as in insurance? MN does a good job with it. It's available in different ways for different incomes. Low income definetly is able to be insured here. Although Bachmann would rather all people with low income and now the Vets would just slowly die off without any health benefits. Bad, Bad thing about MN. I don't know about what other states are doing, but we elected Dayton for Gov. and he just extended health coverage insurance for another 95,000 people with low incomes. Bachmann has already threatened him with law suites. Nasty Bad Weird Bachmann. MN apologizes for her. I'm babble-babbling again...
Always, have a better day
Ativan
Quote
rite, have you looked into state aid, as in insurance?
BWAHAHA! *jumps up runs around room* AHHH! *rips hair* *throws glasses * AHHHGGGAGAGAGWAhahaha...heh...
No, not laughing or shrieking at you, dear. I live in one of the states that's trying to cut off Medicaid for poor people-which I'm not eligible for anyway, as I have chosen not to have a child. Only women with children who are under 18 are eligible for medicaid. I'm technically female, but chose not to pop out any mini-me.
I can't afford buying what they call "state risk pool" coverage, necessary since I have a passel of underlying conditions. It would cost half of my income...and still not cover everything.
I was paying cash...now have to fight my way through a county healthcare system in which I see a new intern doctor every time. They absolutely don't know what they are doing yet, and the newer meds are not available, even if they did know what they're doing.
My job's insurance covers so little and costs so much that it's not worth buying-it wouldn't even cover an ER visit, wouldn't pay for more than $35 a month of meds...and the meds were running me around $500 a month...now I'm too broke for that option.
For the past 8 years I have pretty much felt like I had a case of the 'flu...pretty much every day. More or less until the first sinus surgery-In Mexico. It broke us, and the Mexican doc only removed polyps, he didn't do what all was necessary.
I had to fight the county system for over a year to get sinusitis surgery from them. The Mexican surgery helped, but the infection was getting worse while I waited. And now...well,they refused to give me antibiotics three times even with evidence the infection's not clearing., despite now being drained. I told them the stuff in my nose is antibiotic-resistant and would likely be very hard to clear...and they gave me one it was immune to because it had been used twice before, even though I complained.
...But I got some antibiotics... and they seem to be working. Maybe. If this course doesn't work I know where I can get different ones, I'm just behind the 8-ball in that it's already resistant to a lot of the non-dangerous antibiotics.
Unless there's some sort of community grant thingie, no outside help. Not from this state. I may look into it when the wife and I finish couples' counseling, because that we have to pay for.
I read stuff like that and thank my mum I'm English.
Medicaid is also different county to county. Can you do better in a different county?