Please use common courtesy with transgender clients as with any client and treat transgender people with dignity and respect. This includes using proper pronouns to address your client. It is proper to ask the client what pronouns they use and to share your pronouns, such as she or he.
How to address transgender patients?
Address common and uncomfortable patient care situations (such as assigning a room to a transgender patient, asking about surgical procedures and what to do if you make a mistake) • Identify unique considerations for transgender care including providing gender affirming clinical care and addressing implicit bias
What are the benefits of being transgender?
- If you dread being addressed as "sir" or "ma'am," it may be that that term does not suit you.
- See how you feel when you are in a group and someone refers to you as "ladies" or "gentlemen."
- Notice if your name feels like the wrong one. ...
- How do you feel when someone accidentally calls you by the pronoun of the so-called opposite gender? ...
How to document transgender patient?
- Expand your knowledge about sexual orientation and gender identity
- Communicating with transgender patients: Know what the terms mean
- Create a welcoming environment for transgender patients
- Use inclusive, gender-neutral language
- Convey respect
What is transgender medical care?
The transgender and gender diverse community has been marginalized in the medical field for many years, prompting clinicians to take action to improve the care that these patients receive. Geolani Dy, MD, and Gaines Blasdel are two researchers who are ...
How do you address a transgender in the workplace?
Some transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals prefer to use pronouns other than he/him/his or she/her/hers, such as they/them/theirs or ze/hir. See Using Employees' Preferred Gender Pronouns. Many co-workers want to be supportive of transgender workers.
What is transgender healthcare called?
gender-affirming careTransgender health care, also known as gender-affirming care, includes the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental health conditions, as well as sex reassignment therapies, for transgender individuals.
How do you address gender dysphoria?
Other ways to ease gender dysphoria might include use of:Peer support groups.Voice and communication therapy to develop vocal characteristics matching your experienced or expressed gender.Hair removal or transplantation.Genital tucking.Breast binding.Breast padding.Packing.More items...•
How do you communicate with a transgender?
Their gender isn't your call to make. ... What is gender, anyway? ... Mind your pronouns and avoid misgendering. ... Respect their identity and refrain from deadnaming. ... Be appropriate and rein in your curiosity. ... Be mindful of gender inclusivity. ... Think twice about your words.More items...•
How do you approach a transgender patient?
The TRANSCARE approachTreat transgender individuals with respect, as you would for all of your patients.Refer to transgender people by the name and pronoun associated with their gender identity.Ask politely how they wish to be addressed if you are unsure about a person's gender identity.More items...
What does Black FOLX mean?
Definition of folx : folks —used especially to explicitly signal the inclusion of groups commonly marginalized Having women teach other women matters. Women of color. Transgender women. Disabled women.
How do you deal with gender identity issues?
Where to Begin?Do Your Research. There is growing recognition that gender is not a simple binary (male and female), but rather a spectrum. ... Show Respect. Be respectful of an individual's affirmed gender identity, name, and pronouns. ... Be an ally and advocate. ... Get support if needed.
Can gender dysphoria be caused by trauma?
Gender dysphoria currently exists as a mental health diagnosis, perpetuating stigma as well as pathologizing gender variance. Clinical social workers have preserved a harmful formulation that gender dysphoria is a disorder caused by trauma.
How do schools deal with gender dysphoria?
Talk with your school counselor about getting them an IEP or 504 plan to accommodate their needs. If they start to miss too much school due to anxiety, schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist to have a consult on the option of using medication as a tool.
How do I advocate for a transgender?
Advocacy on the micro level:Ask what pronouns your client uses upon introduction.Ask what pronouns your client uses each new time you see them if your client uses different pronouns day-to-day.Practice a client's preferred gender pronouns instead of simply using their name or resorting to 'they/them'More items...
What do you call a man that becomes a woman?
Transgender Woman (Trans Woman) A person whose sex assigned at birth was male but whose gender identity is female. These identities can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned male at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is female. Many trans women identify simply as women.
How do you ask someone for their pronouns?
Use “They”: Use singular “they/them/theirs” for this person until you have the opportunity to ask about their pronouns. Ask!: It's perfectly acceptable to ask someone what pronouns they use.
Why do transgender people delay seeking medical attention?
Many transgender and gender nonconforming people delay or avoid seeking medical treatment because they fear they will be discriminated against, humiliated, or misunderstood. Mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, substance abuse, gender dysphoria, which represents the distress that being transgender causes, etc.)
Is it legal to disclose a person's gender?
This information will be included in that patient’s health care record, which is protected under HIPAA privacy laws. Never disclose a person’s gender status to anyone who does not explicitly need the information for care.
Is it illegal for a health care provider to force a patient to have an intrusive and unnecessary examination
For example , it is illegal for a health care provider to force a patient to have an intrusive and unnecessary examination because of their gender identity. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires health care providers to protect patients’ privacy.
Is gender status a protected health information?
Information about gender status, including diagnosis, medical history, sex assigned at birth, or anatomy, can be considered protected health information. Such information should not be disclosed to anyone without the patient’s consent.
Do nurses need to know if a patient is transgender?
A nurse may or may not know whether a patient is transgender or genderqueer, and depending on their role, a nurse may not need to know a patient’s gender identity. For example, if a patient is presenting with an upper respiratory issue, there is no medical need to find out a person’s gender status or to perform a genital exam.
What to do if you know someone is transgender?
While you may want to be helpful, or encouraging, the most respectful thing you can do if you know a transgender person is to trust them to express their own gender. Don't give feedback about how they look or whether or not they "pass" as a person of their gender.
What are the pronouns for trans men?
Trans men usually have "he/him" pronouns. Nonbinary, genderfluid, or agender people use various pronouns, such as "they/them," "ze/zim," and others. "Sex" usually refers to a person's biology, while gender refers to their identity. Some people use multiple pronouns, but this doesn't necessarily mean that any pronoun is okay.
What to do when someone puts you down?
If you hear someone putting down someone in your life, speak up and say that you respect that person and don't want to hear them insulted. If someone uses a slur or makes a joke or a prejudicial statement about gender-nonconforming people, tell them you are offended.
Can you drop a transgender person's name?
Always use the name a person calls themself. Most transgender people prefer that you never mention their previous name. Even if you knew someone by a different name in the past, it's not okay to drop that name in conversation. Don't ask what their former name was if you don't know.
Do transgender people use "she" or "him"?
Trans women might use “she/her” pronouns, and trans men may use “he/him” pronouns, but that’s not always the case. If you’re not sure what pronoun a transgender person prefers, ask them! To learn how you can be an ally to all transgender people, keep reading!
Helpful definitions
A term used to classify people typically as female or male, usually based on external anatomy at birth.
How to begin creating a transgender-positive environment
Introduce yourself by stating your name and then ask the patient what name they would like to be called.
What are the barriers to transgender people?
Transgender patients face many barriers, including overt or unintentional bias, which may cause delays in seeking medical care. Studies have demonstrated that approximately 48% of transgender individuals have delayed or avoided medical care (Hein & Levitt, 2014).
Why is it important to be a transgender nurse?
It is important to gain awareness and understanding of the population of transgender patients, and to provide culturally sensitive care.
What evidence do you need to prove a transgender person?
In most transgender cases, unlike other cases, you will need some type of medical evidence that substantiates your client is transgender. You want to be prepared and let the court know you’re the expert. Medical evidence can range from an affidavit to having various types of medical experts testify.
How do transgender people experience discrimination?
Transgender people experience discrimination in almost every area of their lives. Transgender people experience discrimination in almost every area of their lives, from schools, shelters, walking down the street, using the bus, senior citizen homes, and many other places. Nearly one-third live in poverty, which is more than twice the rate ...
What does "it's just a name change" mean?
It’s just a name change.”. To a transgender person, it means everything. Some jurisdictions are reluctant to change or amend a gender marker, and of course, statutes vary from state to state. There are advocates who have been doing this work now for decades who have some helpful tips that they can share.
Which organization sets the standards for transgender health?
The organization that sets the standards for transgender health is the World Professional Association of Transgender Health.
Do transgender people change their name?
Most transgender people have waited a lifetime to change their name and gender. They save, borrow, or hold fundraisers to make these changes happen. This plays a large part in their gender identity and the way they express themselves.
Is transgender a human being?
Transgender people, to oversimplify, are born in a body different from their soul. All transgender people aren’t alike but all transgender people are human beings. Please use common courtesy with transgender clients as with any client and treat transgender people with dignity and respect. This includes using proper pronouns to address your client.
Can mental health professionals diagnose comorbid disorders?
Mental health professionals may also have some difficulty making decisions about comorbid diagnoses. My first suggestion is to consult with another psychologist who has experience differentiating diagnoses from the dysphoria that results from gender identity incongruence. Sometimes it may be difficult to determine if diagnoses such as major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder are organic to the individual, to other contextual factors (for example, financial trouble, or to gender incongruence. If you have determined, with your client, that they would like to move forward with a medical intervention, it is likely that some of their symptoms will decrease just with the hope and promise of being able to feel more gender congruent.
Can a therapist write a letter for a bariatric patient?
Unless therapists have experiences writing letters for bariatric patients to receive medically necessary care, they will likely have zero experience writing a letter that assesses mental health and readiness for trans-related medical care.
Do therapists have to be transgender?
To be clear, most therapists do not need to have a specialty in gender or trans issues in order to work with trans clients. The common factors for what makes psychotherapy ...
What is the preferred term for transgender people?
Although some people may use the following terms to describe their own gender, most of the labels below range from out-of-date to offensive. The preferred term is gender dysphoria. The preferred term is intersex. A set of terms to describe a transgender person who has had or not had sex reassignment surgeries.
What does it mean to be transgender?
Transgender (sometimes shortened to Trans or Trans*) A general term used to describe someone whose gender identity is different than the sex assigned at birth. Some people put an asterisk on the end of trans* to expand the word to include all people with nonconforming gender identities and expressions.
What is a transgender man?
Transgender Man (Trans Man) A person whose sex assigned at birth was female but whose gender identity is male. These identities can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned female at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is male. Many trans men identify simply as men.
What is a trans woman?
Transgender Woman (Trans Woman) A person whose sex assigned at birth was male but whose gender identity is female. These identities can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned male at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is female. Many trans women identify simply as women.
What is the term for people whose gender identities don't match the sex that was assigned at birth?
Transsexual . An older term for people whose gender identities don’t match the sex that was assigned at birth and who desire and/or seek to transition to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identities. Some people find this term offensive, others do not.
What is the term for transgender transition?
Lastly, there are a variety of other ways transgender people transition besides sex reassignment surgery. Preferred terms are Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) or gender affirming surgery. An offensive term for a transgender woman, especially one who has had medical treatment for her breasts, but still has a penis.
What does "cross dresser" mean?
Cross-Dresser (sometimes shortened to CD) A person — typically a cisgender man — who sometimes wears feminine clothing in order to have fun, entertain, gain emotional satisfaction, for sexual enjoyment, or to make a political statement about gender roles. Drag King.
The Transcare Approach
- Treat transgender individuals with respect, as you would for all of your patients.
- Refer to transgender people by the name and pronoun associated with their gender identity.
- Ask politely how they wish to be addressed if you are unsure about a person's gender identity.
- Never reveal a person's transgender status, unless it is absolutely necessary for the patient's health care.
Helpful Definitions
- Sex
1. A term used to classify people typically as female or male, usually based on external anatomy at birth. - Sexual Orientation
1. A person's sexual identity in relation to the gender(s) to which they are attracted.
How to Begin Creating A Transgender-Positive Environment
- Introduce yourself by stating your name and then ask the patient what name they would like to be called.
- Offer gender-neutral restrooms.
- Assign patients to hospital rooms based on their self-identified gender, unless they request otherwise.
- Introduce yourself by stating your name and then ask the patient what name they would like to be called.
- Offer gender-neutral restrooms.
- Assign patients to hospital rooms based on their self-identified gender, unless they request otherwise.
- Rewrite intake forms to include chosen name in addition to legal name and include a blank option for gender and preferred pronoun.
Questions Or Concerns?
- Consult the University of Iowa LGBTQ clinicfor outpatient referrals.
- If, during your patient's stay, you have concerns about discriminatory behavior or comments your patient might be experiencing, contact the Office of the Patient Experience. This office can also he...
- If you have concerns regarding discriminatory behavior or comments in the workplace, consi…
- Consult the University of Iowa LGBTQ clinicfor outpatient referrals.
- If, during your patient's stay, you have concerns about discriminatory behavior or comments your patient might be experiencing, contact the Office of the Patient Experience. This office can also he...
- If you have concerns regarding discriminatory behavior or comments in the workplace, consider these resources:
- All of these offices have access to the hospital's legal team if needed.