THE CUTTING EDGE
Barbara F. Anderson, Ph.D., LCSW
This is the first article of what I hope will be a monthly column designed to bring to readers of DEVIL WOMAN issues that are currently being discussed by professionals dedicated to the welfare of the transgender community. I hope to report on topics discussed in the media, at conferences, in journals, chat rooms and on listserves. Where appropriate, I will give citations for those of you who wish to follow-up on a particular matter. Entries will be brief, pithy (I hope) and engaging, stimulating your curiosity and hopefully, your optimism. My ultimate intention is to encourage you to educate and advocate for yourselves in the realms of health care, legal rights, and other arenas that impinge on the well-being of your community.
A sampling of topics to be aired follows: pregnancy in transwomen; denial of hormones to the incarcerated; proposed changes to the DSM5; therapy and support groups that include both transmen and women; financial aid for SRS; the role of midwives in the care of pregnant transmen and many other subjects as they come to my attention.
Therapists are discussing the virtues and downsides of mixing transmen and women in support/therapy groups. The plusses are that this could encourage a coalition of disparate groups. There is little interaction between these groups although they have interests in common. They both have to interface with the medical and psychological community; they both have a history of victimization and discrimination in employment and use of public facilities; they struggle with evaluating whether being diagnosed in the DSM is in their best interests and lastly, they tell me their clothes don’t fit right. On the other hand, passing is less challenging for FtoMs; surgical options differ greatly; and the issues of growing up trans seem to affect individuals in each group differently. For better or worse, it was agreed by most participants in the discussion that homogeneous groups fare better as common interests and experience make for a more congenial and trusting group environment. This has been my experience as well, but it was interesting for me to hear the issue raised again.
A discussion about pregnancy in male-to-females was very interesting. It was initiated by a psychotherapist on behalf of her client who had read of such a possibility and was inquiring of the larger professional community if this is a realistic expectation. Several cases were described in which natal women carried extra-uterine and abdominal pregnancies to term and which resulted in live births. A physician participating in the discussion felt this to be a very risky process and suggested encouraging transpersons to consider sperm donation, cryopreservation, or adoption as safe and proven satisfying methods of creating a family.
A discussion on the dangers to transgender people of travel abroad garnered advice from an attorney in response to a tale told by a traveler to Turkey. She described being “grilled by the border guard and customs officer.” Unwisely, she was travelling under her femme name while having a passport in her given male name. She had declined to carry the letter given to her by her therapist attesting to her transition. Inexplicably, her medications were confiscated before she was allowed on her way. The attorney stated that, “travel is problematic where the documentation carried does not match the presentation of the traveler. Everyone should emphasize a ‘Know Before You Go Approach.’ A simple call to the Department of State would have alerted this person to countries where entry would be difficult. Also, this is not just a problem of international travel (though that is where we hear most
about it.) Within the United States, since the laws vary as to the identity of trans individuals, the same rule applies…”Know Before You Go.”
Brief notes: An article in Bloomberg Business Week (3/26/12) reports that the US Supreme Court refused to consider reinstating a Wisconsin law that banned hormone administration or SRS for prison inmates. Bypassing all the double negatives, that translates into the affirmative statement that inmates are entitled to treatment. If SRS is ever provided, I’m sure it’ll make the news as well.
A forthcoming publication that sounds useful is “Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy” by Jennifer Levi, Dir. of the Transgender Rights Project.
Responses, reactions and corrections are welcome.
Dr. Anderson can be reached @ basu62@aol.com
No comments:
Post a Comment