Trangst at the single-gender STI clinic
STI clinic woes.
I phoned to make an appointment to go the local STI clinic after looking up the details online. Nowhere did it say that there was a men's clinic and a women's clinic. The NHS have been slow in the extremus to recognise my name change, and I haven't asked them to recognise my gender change (my prior GP being rather crap with that, I thought I'd get it sorted once I had started with the Gender Identity Clinic). I'd visited the STI clinic before and they had my surname/date of birth; there was no reason for them to realise that I'd transitioned until I told them. I got to the entrance and asked the security guard where to go, and he directed me to the women's clinic on the first floor. I swore, and slapped my face, causing my glasses to fall to the ground. I climbed the stairs, hyperventilating, and explained to the guy at reception that I was transsexual and *not* comfortable being seen at the women's clinic, though I had an appointment. A nurse came out to deal with me, and she took me downstairs to the men's clinic (after asking if I'd had a sex change operation) and when talking about me to the receptionist she called me 'she'. The receptionist told me that it was a men's clinic, and I said I was transsexual. I was *not having a good time*. I filled in a form and took a seat, and waited for the nurse to deal with me.
Nurse #2 was quite sympathetic, but she had the same assumptions as nurse #1 (that trans people have already had operations, otherwise they wouldn't be considering themselves to be trans, that people don't transition socially before transitioning medically¹). She told me that most of the people who go to the men's clinic are non-trans men, and that I should expect the workers to make assumptions. She said all STI clinics were like that; I said if that was the case they all needed a kick up the arse. She basically said that because I am in a minority I shouldn't have my needs catered to without a fight. I am going to complain about this. I said that they should have trans awareness, and she said they had already, and I think that is total and utter bollocks.
People, please do not make assumptions. Do not assume that someone who looks like a woman to you is a woman. Do not assume people are not trans. Not all transsexual people pass as their chosen² gender, conversely not all transsexual people are obviously trans. Many transsexual people pass as their chosen gender. Not all transsexuals choose or are able to have surgery at all/not all transsexuals choose or are able to have surgery on their genitalia. Not all transsexuals take hormones.
If I'd have known that the STI clinic was single gendered I would have put more thought into it. Ah well, I've had my poking done now.
I went for a nice thing to eat at First Out afterwards. I am now very glad to be home, and for it to be over (though there is more distress to come in the shape of a cervical smear test and removal of an ancient IUD).
Comments screened on this public post. I'll unscreen them automatically if you don't use personal anecdotes on this subject, keep them screened unless you say 'unscreen' if you do use personal anecdotes.
¹ This is an idea that is held in various parts of the medical community, possibly even most of it.
² Chosen is a bad word (amrite), what should I use instead?
I phoned to make an appointment to go the local STI clinic after looking up the details online. Nowhere did it say that there was a men's clinic and a women's clinic. The NHS have been slow in the extremus to recognise my name change, and I haven't asked them to recognise my gender change (my prior GP being rather crap with that, I thought I'd get it sorted once I had started with the Gender Identity Clinic). I'd visited the STI clinic before and they had my surname/date of birth; there was no reason for them to realise that I'd transitioned until I told them. I got to the entrance and asked the security guard where to go, and he directed me to the women's clinic on the first floor. I swore, and slapped my face, causing my glasses to fall to the ground. I climbed the stairs, hyperventilating, and explained to the guy at reception that I was transsexual and *not* comfortable being seen at the women's clinic, though I had an appointment. A nurse came out to deal with me, and she took me downstairs to the men's clinic (after asking if I'd had a sex change operation) and when talking about me to the receptionist she called me 'she'. The receptionist told me that it was a men's clinic, and I said I was transsexual. I was *not having a good time*. I filled in a form and took a seat, and waited for the nurse to deal with me.
Nurse #2 was quite sympathetic, but she had the same assumptions as nurse #1 (that trans people have already had operations, otherwise they wouldn't be considering themselves to be trans, that people don't transition socially before transitioning medically¹). She told me that most of the people who go to the men's clinic are non-trans men, and that I should expect the workers to make assumptions. She said all STI clinics were like that; I said if that was the case they all needed a kick up the arse. She basically said that because I am in a minority I shouldn't have my needs catered to without a fight. I am going to complain about this. I said that they should have trans awareness, and she said they had already, and I think that is total and utter bollocks.
People, please do not make assumptions. Do not assume that someone who looks like a woman to you is a woman. Do not assume people are not trans. Not all transsexual people pass as their chosen² gender, conversely not all transsexual people are obviously trans. Many transsexual people pass as their chosen gender. Not all transsexuals choose or are able to have surgery at all/not all transsexuals choose or are able to have surgery on their genitalia. Not all transsexuals take hormones.
If I'd have known that the STI clinic was single gendered I would have put more thought into it. Ah well, I've had my poking done now.
I went for a nice thing to eat at First Out afterwards. I am now very glad to be home, and for it to be over (though there is more distress to come in the shape of a cervical smear test and removal of an ancient IUD).
Comments screened on this public post. I'll unscreen them automatically if you don't use personal anecdotes on this subject, keep them screened unless you say 'unscreen' if you do use personal anecdotes.
¹ This is an idea that is held in various parts of the medical community, possibly even most of it.
² Chosen is a bad word (amrite), what should I use instead?