OB/GYN

I have written before about OB/GYNs and it seems that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists press release has increased interest in trans-patient care. An article in the Daily Mail touches on the College’s press release,

What to do when a transgender man needs his pap smear? More OB/GYNs become transgender friendly as awareness grows
Daily Mail
By Beth Stebner
January 6, 2012

The Sun-Sentinel has reported at the case of transgender couple S.F. Makalani-MaHee, who was born as a female but lives as a male, and his partner Rajee Narinesingh, a transgendered woman.

Mr Makalani-MaHee told the paper that he always felt a sense of dread when going to the gynaecologist, he still has a woman’s sexual organs, which brings a slew of uncomfortable emotions from many doctors.

‘The ignorance runs its course,’ he said. ‘A lot of us have avoided these types of experiences.’

Mr Makalani-MaHee has avoided them by not going to a gynaecologist in more than a decade.
[…]
She’s put it off in part because of the cost, but said she’s also afraid of being discriminated against.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, nearly 30 per cent of the transgender community delays treatment because they fear discrimination.

I have delayed going to the doctors because the stigma of being trans. I worried about what they would say and if I would be discriminated against.

‘We need to make our offices settings that treat all patients with respect,’ Dr Buyers said. ‘We want the transgender community to know that we, as OB/GYNs, care about their health.’

Some offices are making their waiting rooms more transgender friendly and adding inclusive questions to medical histories.

This is another important consideration, it is not just OK for the doctor to be accepting, but the staff must also provide a positive environment. I know of a trans-man who was looking for a surgeon to do his top surgery and he had to go out of state to get treatment. Even through the out of state doctor said that would do the surgery, his staff refused to make an appoint to see the doctor when he called. They said that the doctors was not taking new patients when he said that he wanted top surgery, even though they were willing to make an appointments seconds before he told them he was trans. He had to call the doctor to get by the staff.