I'm lucky in that I work in one of the local hospitals' ERs, and everybody there knows me by my chosen name and pronouns. Also, my family doctor has been very supportive.
I don't understand why this is so difficult for healthcare providers. The majority of the doctors I go to are part of a large healthcare system in my area. I am supposedly enrolled in their "Gender Health Program", and I know they have my preferred name and pronouns in my chart. The actual doctors seem to be pretty good about using my preferred name and pronouns. (Although one of my doctors started acting really weird when I came out to her.) But with support staff, it seems to be about 50/50 whether they use my deadname or preferred name, and which gender they refer to me as. (Not so much a matter of pronouns, since they usually aren't talking about me in the third person; it's more a question of whether they address me as "Mr." and "Sir", or as "Ms." and "Ma'am".) And for some reason the lab techs seem to be especially bad; worse than the other support staff. They really should only use my legal name for billing, insurance, and prescriptions. In the context of an office visit, they should always be using my preferred name. I don't understand what's difficult about that. I'm in the process of changing my legal name and gender, so hopefully that should help. But I don't understand why it's so hard for them to use a different "preferred name" and "legal name" in the appropriate context, when they have both in my chart.
I used to run into similar problems before my legal name and gender marker change. Support staff should be reviewing the record before they speak to you, but many do not do it, hence the misgendering and deadnaming.
It really is a failure of the practice. I much prefer my nickname to my legal name, but I've gotten used to giving the legal one because for things like insurance it's required. However, I always make a point of saying I prefer the nickname and some have responded by recording my name with the nickname in quotes, e.g. Robert "Bob" Johnson. Those practices routinely refer to me by the nickname and I can't see why it's so difficult for the others. In my case there is no issue of gender (I'm cis) and both name and nickname are traditional male ones, which should make it easier, but even then there are those who can't seem to get it. For me, it's a minor annoyance; for trans folks I expect it hits harder. I'd suggest talking to the physician and asking for a note to be placed in your file. If it keeps happening, mention how stressful it is to be deadnamed by members of their own practice.
Sorry I'm late to your presentation, to bad this is not mandatory for all health care providers. I'm sure the average GP would greatly benefit. Thankyou
Thank you so very much for sharing 🙏
You are so welcome 🤗
@DrJamieTalks hi Dr Jamie, id love to know how I can get started on HRT without going to my primary care physician ...if it's even possible.
Thanks!
@@Candy_WV How? Get a different PCP. There are groups that maintain lists of trans-friendly medical practices.
I'm lucky in that I work in one of the local hospitals' ERs, and everybody there knows me by my chosen name and pronouns. Also, my family doctor has been very supportive.
That's great!
I don't understand why this is so difficult for healthcare providers.
The majority of the doctors I go to are part of a large healthcare system in my area. I am supposedly enrolled in their "Gender Health Program", and I know they have my preferred name and pronouns in my chart.
The actual doctors seem to be pretty good about using my preferred name and pronouns. (Although one of my doctors started acting really weird when I came out to her.) But with support staff, it seems to be about 50/50 whether they use my deadname or preferred name, and which gender they refer to me as. (Not so much a matter of pronouns, since they usually aren't talking about me in the third person; it's more a question of whether they address me as "Mr." and "Sir", or as "Ms." and "Ma'am".) And for some reason the lab techs seem to be especially bad; worse than the other support staff.
They really should only use my legal name for billing, insurance, and prescriptions. In the context of an office visit, they should always be using my preferred name. I don't understand what's difficult about that.
I'm in the process of changing my legal name and gender, so hopefully that should help. But I don't understand why it's so hard for them to use a different "preferred name" and "legal name" in the appropriate context, when they have both in my chart.
I used to run into similar problems before my legal name and gender marker change. Support staff should be reviewing the record before they speak to you, but many do not do it, hence the misgendering and deadnaming.
It really is a failure of the practice.
I much prefer my nickname to my legal name, but I've gotten used to giving the legal one because for things like insurance it's required. However, I always make a point of saying I prefer the nickname and some have responded by recording my name with the nickname in quotes, e.g. Robert "Bob" Johnson. Those practices routinely refer to me by the nickname and I can't see why it's so difficult for the others.
In my case there is no issue of gender (I'm cis) and both name and nickname are traditional male ones, which should make it easier, but even then there are those who can't seem to get it. For me, it's a minor annoyance; for trans folks I expect it hits harder.
I'd suggest talking to the physician and asking for a note to be placed in your file. If it keeps happening, mention how stressful it is to be deadnamed by members of their own practice.
Sorry I'm late to your presentation, to bad this is not mandatory for all health care providers. I'm sure the average GP would greatly benefit.
Thankyou
You're welcome!
I don't understand why some people refuse to use preferred names and pronouns? it just doesn’t make any sense to me.
It's just disrespectful and mean.