Doctor's Office: What to Expect When You Are Transgender

Mar 01, 2012
By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/TRT Columnist

http://www.therainbowtimesmass.com/2012/03/01/doctors-office-what-to-expect-when-you-are-transgender/

Everyone needs to go to the doctor for their physical well-being. We need to have whatever's in our bodies checked out, and, if there are problems, deal with them. Here are some glimpses into the transgender patient's experience at the doctor's office.

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I've been to doctor's office and they look at my file, which always has conflicting references to my physical gender. Some papers say male and others say female. With a puzzled look they ask me if I'm male or female. I just smile and say that I am a transwoman and they accept that. I just went for a blood test recently and the young lady who was looking over the tests my doctor ordered asked me why I was to get a PSA test. I told her that I am a transwoman and that I still have my prostate and it needs to be checked. She said "Oh! that makes sense."

I now check "female" on the check in sheet, mainly so they don't come into the waiting room "Mr. _____?" Otherwise I've had zero issues dealing with various doctors, dentists, hospitals etc.