Quote from: Angélique LaCava on January 17, 2013, 10:10:11 PM
Is it legal that my gender therapist is holding the hormone letter from me because i dont do chores?
Legal? Yes. There's no law that your therapist has to write you a letter.
However, I think it's highly questionable. WPATH standards of care explicitly state that it is the patient's own decision when she is ready for hormones.
From bottom paragraph on page 25 (
http://www.wpath.org/documents/Standards%20of%20Care%20V7%20-%202011%20WPATH.pdf):
QuoteIt is important for mental health professionals to recognize that decisions about hormones are first
and foremost the client's decisions
The reason for that is that withholding hormone therapy from transgender patients is dangerous. Depression, suicide, and self-destructive behaviors can result (such as self-medicating. Don't don't don't do that. It's DANGEROUS!)
For that reason I think your therapist is being irresponsible (just my opinion, I'm no expert).
Some suggestions:
* Ask if you can change therapists.
* Show the standards of care to your therapist. Mention your concerns that delaying HRT will have a negative effect on your adjustment and mental health.
* See if you can find an ally. Is there an adult who can advise you on how to convince whoever needs to be convinced to change therapists?
* Give yourself credit for dealing with a difficult situation. Dealing with a problematic therapy situation is one of the nastier things that happen to us on the road to our transition.
* Hang in there, girl. You'll get past this.