Calls for trans health overhaul for medical profession
A report into the health of transgender Australians has suggested a number of reforms to improve the physical and mental health of members of the trans community, with authors of the report calling for an urgent need for better training of all mental and physical health care professionals as well as improvements to Medicare access.
The report, ‘The Health Care Experiences of People whose Gender Identity Differs from that Expected of their Natally Assigned Sex’, by Flinders University researchers Damien Riggs and Clemence Due, was based on two online surveys open to Australian residents, undertaken in 2012 and 2013.
The first survey, completed by 78 people, utilised the terminology “people who were female assigned at birth but who now identify with a different gender identity”.聽 The second utilised the terminology of “people who identify as transgender women,” with a total of 110 people responding. Just over 50 percent of total survey respondents lived in either NSW or Victoria, while 82 percent lived in a large city.
One fifth of respondents said their annual wage was less than $6,000 while 54 percent in total earned under $34,000. A third of those surveyed reported receiving welfare support, with 15 percent of the nearly 200 people who took part in the study on the Disability Support Pension.
The report found that transgender people are most likely to face discrimination from local GPs when dealing with health professionals, ahead of sexual health clinicians, pharmacists and speech pathologists.
Of further concern, about 40 per cent of respondents reported either a ‘negative’ or ‘very negative’ experience with a psychologist, while over 45 per cent reported similar negative experiences with psychiatrists.
Though the report found transgender people 鈥渞ated their experiences as good or close to good overall,鈥� the report’s authors said their findings suggested it was now the time for an overhaul of training methods for health professionals.
Riggs and Due have also called for more procedures and other services to be available to trans people under Medicare.
鈥淪uch training must move beyond the simplistic categorisation of all people whose gender identity differs from that expected of their natally assigned sex into one group, and instead to recognise the diversity of experiences of gender identity as outlined in this report,鈥� Riggs and Due wrote in the report’s recommendations.
Melody Moore, from Trans Health Australia, told the Star Observer she was not surprised to see GPs rated as the group of health professionals most likely to discriminate as well as reports of trans people feeling let down by psychologists and psychiatrists.
鈥淢embers of the community often report issues accessing hormone therapy etcetera, and in getting referrals to other specialists. Those people in the community who have found willing GPs often have to educate and provide the resources they need in order to help them,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he results also demonstrates those people who had positive experiences and were respected and well supported by the GPs had better mental health.鈥�
Moore added that it was important more services were made available under Medicare, saying moves to do so would not only reduce rates of depression and mental illness but also lessen discrimination of trans people.
鈥淪uch treatment should also include hormone therapy, surgery, including feminisation and masculinisation surgery, hair removal and replacement, and speech therapy for vocal feminisation,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hese services are not just purely cosmetic, they allow trans people to feel more content and at peace with themselves by having congruency with their bodies, and will also help to have fewer issues with discrimination vilification and abuse in society. These services are also essential to job seekers along with other vocational support services as also indicated in this report.鈥�
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Chloe A, when you have copped the same amount of transphobic abuse I have from members of the gay community then tell me that it is fair to be so critical of me as an advocate?
This type of abuse you see here has also contributed to a major breakdown in my mental health recently. I am the first to admit that I have problems and I am not perfect. I am not Superwoman, I am a HUMAN BEING, and I can only take so much. And we must remember this first and foremost.
Even my psychologist agrees that I need to vent my anger and frustration more online rather than bottle it up and have it explode later where I end up pushing other people away or hurting others who don’t deserve it.
These “acid mouths” here deserve it more than anyone else. So I will vent here where it is most warranted and leave it at that. because right now they’re are the people upsetting me and others here.
So are we all OK with this now? I hope so, because don’t feel guilty for letting my true feelings be know. Why should anyone else have a problem with that eh? ;)
Obviously there are two comments out the first ten posted that are unwarranted, unfair & unhelpful.
Unfortunately though, there are other comments from advocates that are unnecessarily abusive. If we don’t conduct ourselves in a civil manner we are unlikely to be taken seriously.
As disappointing as it may seem, just because someone comes within the LGBTIQ acronym, does not automatically mean they will agree with or understand everyone else’s needs, this is human nature.
Empathy can be seen to be lacking in any group of people, just as it is here.
I guess the one thing the transphobes here have done is proven my point that there are gay and lesbian people who are seeking to undermine and destroy our attempts at reforming health care for transgender Australians. I keep trying to tell people that we do have TERFS (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) within the gay and lesbian community.
And Marsha Paige, We KNOW that being a woman is so much more than clothes and lipstick, you have no idea what we go through to be who we are – so shut the fuck up you transphobic bitch!
Speaksthetruth : is obviously hiding behind an anonymous profile name but this is some of the transphobic cissexist BS we put up with from parts the Gaystream. I really don’t want to see horrible comments like this attached to an article that is dealing with issues of neglect in regards to Trans* health in this country. There is a real attitude problem with the way we are treated by these people who consider them selves part of the rainbow flag. So much for the LGBTI. Show yourself or STFU.
Having transitioned 18 years ago I can fully attest to the truth of this article.
We are tired of being kicked to the curb and having to go offshore to get adequate health care.
Some of these transphobic people here make me utterly sick, and to think you are here on an LGBTI publishers website and it seems that up until now you are allowed to get away with this abuse. Well SHAME ON YOU and anyone else who condones this type of abhorrent behaviour – GROW UP!
Speaksthetruth: Your ignorant and mean-spirited comments are only proving the point as to the existence of discrimination directed against trans people.
This is really important research that can hopefully be used to change and maybe even save some lives.
Thanks for highlighting the struggle of trans people to achieve equitable access to proper healthcare. The report makes for alarming reading. There really is a need for widespread education of health professionals, as shown by the fact that so many trans people had to spend time educating their own GPs and mental health professionals about trans issues.
Yeah man, its sad that everyone isn’t automatically indoctrinated into the deluded fantasies of perverted, self mutilating, drug abusing defectives.
Well well speak the truth has no idea what truth is.
Dare I suggest this person is one of the reason many in the Trans community are calling for the T in GLBT to jump ship and be 2 or 3 steps removed from those with a same sex attraction.
On the actual topic there must be a standard and that standard should be IMHO Diagnoses of Gender Dysphoria before any treatment starts.
my 2c.
xoxo
Your an ass and worse you are part of our extended LGBTI community. Very disappointing.
Why are those of you who are making negative & vitriolic posts wasting time doing so? Think of what you could achieve with your lives if you used your energy for something positive – something that actually impacts on your own lives. Such negative posts simply advertise your own dissatisfaction with who & where you are.
Thank you for supporting the health and well being of the trans* community. Education is so important to all of us along with more streamlined and easier access to hormone therapy and psychotherapy under an informed consent type model which is within the latest WPATH Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People – Version 7.
See:
Antiquated protocols based around superseded Harry Benjamin/WPATH version 6 Standards of Care need to be removed completely from allied health services in Australia. If you examine the recommendations made by Dr Darren Russell with the story about Amber Maxwell who took her own life a few weeks ago in Perth, WA, you will see some very alarming parallels here.