Sharing the trans* label (e.g. Casper Smart news)

[Guest DesiB]

I sincerely empathize with all members of the so-called community that falls under the transgender label.

But I have to say it--It really goes through me when I see a notation on my medical records to warn the other medical professional that I am a "transgender" patient, and then I realize that same medical professional also hears the same terminology in the news referring to people who are the total opposite of the way I want to be viewed and treated!!

Look at the recent stories about Casper Smart (Jennifer Lopez's boyfriend) who has now been caught cheating on her with with a second transsexual (usually misspelled with one "s"), transgender bikini model, or Transgender--depending on the news source. Yes, I support them and want them protected from misrepresentation and harrassment. But what is it they have that attracts Casper Smart to these ladies that JLo doesn't have? Right! something that I don't have either!!! And I don't like the fact that I have to share the same label in my official medical records that people hear in the tabloids!!!

Does anyone else feel the same way?

[Carolyn Marie]

Desi, I can see no legitimate reason, medical or otherwise, why your medical file should have a "transgender" or "transsexual" label or notation on it. It is just as wrong as putting a "gay" notation on it. It is, to me, a blatantly prejudicial act. Somewhere in your paper or electronic file there may be a diagnosis of GD, or GID listed, as there would for any other diagnosis. But 'transgender" is not a diagnosis, it is a label, and it is wrong. If it were me, I would ask for an explanation, and ask that it be removed from all files, unless they come up with some really good reason.

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

My medical record simply has my records for hundreds of years saying I was male, and then a notation of "Out Of Plan Surgery" and my records take up with the notation that I am female now and that I have had experience with female issues since then. It leaves it up to the informed imagination of my health care providers as to what the deal is, and happily they are so great, because many of them have been with me during transition and now post op, and are happy that I am.

As far as the tabloid "kittens" go, it does get under my skin when I am viewed by some as fodder for sexploitation giggle fits by people with nothing else to do with their time or limited IQ's. I have almost laughed out loud at a couple of people recently who got rather seasick looks on their faces when they found out I was Post GCS and no longer held intense interest for them. I am now totally ignored by certain people in one of my old CD days hangouts. Times change for the change!!

[Guest DesiB]

Carolyn, most of the time my basic medical information does just have me listed a female. But recently I went to get a DEXA scan through the VA and my doc there, who has actually been very good to me otherwise, put a notation that I was a transgender patient. After I complained, she explained that it was because there are two different sets of normal ranges for bone thickness and she did not know where mine would fall and thought it would be best for them to compare my bone scans to both female and male ranges. That makes sense to me. But the nurse who did the scan just saw the notation and asked me what sex I was born as to verify whether I could be pregnant or not--I understand that too. Still, I was very uncomfortable with the fact that my label was no different from what is in the tabloids and it resulted in her actually labeling my scans as "male!" Then of course they analysed them by comparison to both sexes. It turns out there's not that much difference anyway. The only thing that may have stood out was that my wrists were slightly thick on the female range, but they are not so thick to prevent me from buying and wearing watches and braceletts right off the shelf most of the time. The bottom line in that situation is that my doc is going to go up her chain of command in the VA to get things changed so that never happens to me or anyone else again, hopefully--regarding the misidentification as male, but they will continue to make notations with the transgender label while my official sex is always female.

Vicky, your story brings up the issue of having to declare whether we are post-op or not--that was a big issue with Katie Couric recently. I do know and feel for those who wish they could have the surgery but can't because of health reasons. And I understand that others simply choose not to have 'bottom' surgery. I don't want to see any sort of heirarchy, as if one is better than the other just as male is not better than female or vice versa. But they are different and do not want to be misidentified. That's all I am saying is that after all this struggle over gender identity and to finally get to live most of my life without that being an issue, those times when it still comes up really disappoint me--especially since I do not think they are necessary and could be fixed with meaningful distinct terminology that does not lump us all together.

[Guest DesiB]

Megan, what I want my doctors to know is that I was born female and that I had just some external birth defects that caused the medical staff and almost everyone else to misidentify me.

As far as the waiting room goes, I have no problems being misidentified there--it never happens. The troubles I've had is like when a doc or nurse has asked about my hormones (back when I was on higher levels) and I'd say, That was for my transition" and they'd say, "That seems like a lot to take for menopause." Then I'd have to spell it out, "No, not that kind of transition--parts of my body had to go through a sex transition to make everything match."

Or more recently, before my PCP dumped me, I went to another doctor in the practice to get a presurgery physical for kidney stone removal when she was not there and he was going through some old history she had in my file and said there was a mistake because it said I had had a vasectomy. He assured me he would get that mistake removed from my file immediately. Then as he looked further, he saw a note about my breast augmentation and vaginoplasty and he realized and he was embarrassed. So afterward he insisted on including my history of a vasectomy in my presurgery physical for a kidney stone removal via lithotripsy! It was totally uncalled for to include that since none of those parts remain in my body at all, but I think he wanted to be sure no other doctors got fooled or embarrassed like he did.

So is it really necessaey for me to wear a scarlet T every time I visit a medical facility so no one else gets fooled or embarrassed? And if I do require some kind of warning label, can it at least be one that is not identical to any of the ones used in the tabloids for those who reportedly have "the best of both worlds?" I do not!! And I really resent having anyone think of me that way after all I've been through to get rid of those issues.

[VickySGV]

It is not going to happen soon Desi, but I know two folks on this site who have taken part in training for new medical students, who were very interested in getting to know us as people and future patients. One of the major education issues for Trans* folk anywhere in the spectrum is the education of our medical providers. Big reason is that we are hitting the system harder and in ways that the older medical providers were not ready for. Our condition was not on the boards 20 years ago, and even then most of us could not have afforded to get the care. I am part of an HMO that has been pro-active in dealing with its Trans* patients, and do consider myself VERY lucky to be in that situation. One of my doctors almost obsessed about having my records carried over when my name changed. He still has some discomfort with me at times, but is trying to learn even at his age. I am a bit of a pushy Trans* broad sometimes and do try to be proactive in my own care, because while it is a nuisance, still it lets them see me as an active part of my own health care team, and I do win friends by just being me. Hang in there hon, it will get better.

[KathrynJulia]

Desi

I've asked one of the doctor's in Family Medicine if she would be willing to treat me post operatively when I get back from SRS surgery in August and she is thrilled that I asked her to be my doctor. She has been treating trans women for the past 13 years. She's helped treat over a dozen of us who are or in my case, soon to be post op. And yes she will have known me 3 years before I even started therapy with my GT so I could start transitioning..

She's a doctor dedicated to treating members of our community and who feels honored that I want her to be my doctor. I appreciate that their are doctors like her who care about us and yes, she is a member of our LGBT family. I've been privileged to meet many doctors and nurses who really care about furnishing exceptional care to our community. They won't have to put trans in my medical record as these people all know who I am already. Kathy

[Drea]

I understand what you are saying Desi.

It is a reality with medical stuff that there are circumstances where professionals need to know.

And it isn't just medical stuff though. Whatever label you assign for yourself, "transgender" is becoming the label others know about.

I've seen how transgender started apart from transsexual, then started to become a blanket term and then basically used to say we are the same as transsexual...and then promoted as a replacement term for transsexual. So now we are all the same, transgender. Some see it as a lifestyle even while for others it just describes that they changed to new role but very don't live a transgender lifestyle.

[Cyndee]

I have to agree here, the more I read the words of activists (I am not one), the more I agree with this position in the larger sense, that being transsexual is not served very well being included with the term "transgender". In fact I seem to have growing reasons why I want to distance myself from this "umbrella".

I was recently given a referal to an imaging lab for my first mammo. The referal listed the sex as female, but the person that did the referal (a gay man in the Dr's front office) also added the word "transgender" on the referal. I hesitated after I saw that, in fact I have not called the imaging place yet, and may seek a new referal that does not include that word. Honestly why do I need to be labeled to get my boobs imaged ? It's just a word Cyndi, go get your boobs squashed in the machine, who cares, right ?

Anyway, I think I'll just step away from the umbrella, I might get a few rain drops on my head in doing so, or I might run into a ru paul or something under there, I would just like to live as any other woman....

[Ravin]

I have to agree here, the more I read the words of activists (I am not one), the more I agree with this position in the larger sense, that being transsexual is not served very well being included with the term "transgender". In fact I seem to have growing reasons why I want to distance myself from this "umbrella".

I was recently given a referal to an imaging lab for my first mammo. The referal listed the sex as female, but the person that did the referal (a gay man in the Dr's front office) also added the word "transgender" on the referal. I hesitated after I saw that, in fact I have not called the imaging place yet, and may seek a new referal that does not include that word. Honestly why do I need to be labeled to get my boobs imaged ? It's just a word Cyndi, go get your boobs squashed in the machine, who cares, right ?

Anyway, I think I'll just step away from the umbrella, I might get a few rain drops on my head in doing so, or I might run into a ru paul or something under there, I would just like to live as any other woman....

I don't think it's so much what label is used for disclosure as whether disclosure is necessary. A doctor who needs your complete surgical history might need to know about a vasectomy (mentioned above) as well as GRS. An imaging center doing a mammogram doesn't need to know anything other than that you are female and have never been pregnant. They MIGHT need to know that your development took place later than standard puberty, but in that case they'll ask it during THEIR screening questions. I would go back to the doctor's office that referred you, tell them your concerns, and ask that the referral be re-done without the unnecessary disclosure. If they have a legitimate medical reason why disclosure WAS necessary, they should tell you what it is.

Honestly, adding "transgender" just floating by itself also may muddle and confuse people. It doesn't tell them if you're MTF post-hormones or FTM pre/non-op who is still listed as biologically female for insurance purposes (which is my present situation).

[Guest DesiB]

I have to agree here, the more I read the words of activists (I am not one), the more I agree with this position in the larger sense, that being transsexual is not served very well being included with the term "transgender". In fact I seem to have growing reasons why I want to distance myself from this "umbrella".

I was recently given a referal to an imaging lab for my first mammo. The referal listed the sex as female, but the person that did the referal (a gay man in the Dr's front office) also added the word "transgender" on the referal. I hesitated after I saw that, in fact I have not called the imaging place yet, and may seek a new referal that does not include that word. Honestly why do I need to be labeled to get my boobs imaged ? It's just a word Cyndi, go get your boobs squashed in the machine, who cares, right ?

Anyway, I think I'll just step away from the umbrella, I might get a few rain drops on my head in doing so, or I might run into a ru paul or something under there, I would just like to live as any other woman....

I don't think it's so much what label is used for disclosure as whether disclosure is necessary. A doctor who needs your complete surgical history might need to know about a vasectomy (mentioned above) as well as GRS. An imaging center doing a mammogram doesn't need to know anything other than that you are female and have never been pregnant. They MIGHT need to know that your development took place later than standard puberty, but in that case they'll ask it during THEIR screening questions. I would go back to the doctor's office that referred you, tell them your concerns, and ask that the referral be re-done without the unnecessary disclosure. If they have a legitimate medical reason why disclosure WAS necessary, they should tell you what it is.

Honestly, adding "transgender" just floating by itself also may muddle and confuse people. It doesn't tell them if you're MTF post-hormones or FTM pre/non-op who is still listed as biologically female for insurance purposes (which is my present situation).

Ravin, I agree with your assessment about what medical staff may need to know for a mammogram, but I really don't understand why you think they would need to know about a past vasectomy when all the surrounding parts are completely missing from my body now!

I've been to a lot of doctors over the past couple years since my GCS and I've tried it both ways--meaning full disclosure and non-disclosure of irrelevant information. Full disclosure--telling them I'm a transsexual--only leads to confusion and endless questions and out of the room consultations amongst the medical staff as they try to figure me out. It is soooo much easier when I just tell them I've had a hysterectomy. That puts an end to so many follow up questions and they know just how to treat me from then on.

In fact, when I had a CT scan for kidney stones, ordered by my urologist to whom I did NOT give full disclosure, the report said there was evidence of a hysterectomy. That's what an unbiased medical expert saw on my CT scan. My ovaries/testicles (same biological origin) have been removed. That's all they need to know. It does not matter that there was once a snip along the tubes for a vasectomy because all those parts are totally absent now with no remnants and no lingering effects.

And you're right--adding anything about being transgender/transsexual only confuses them. The nurse who most recently did my DEXA scan and saw the notation could not tell if I was M2F or F2M or at what stage of transition. All she really needed to know was whether or not I could get pregnant. So I checked the box saying I had my ovaries removed. Unfortunately, her follow up questions about what sex I was born as and her tabloid comprehension of the word "transgender" led her to labeling my DEXA scans as "male." So it does matter. It matters a lot, to me.

[Ravin]

A surgeon or anesthesiologist might need to know a complete surgical history to know whether to ask about whether you've ever had difficulties with anesthesia, bleeding, or other complications. If you're thus disclosing GRS, a vas won't change their understanding of your present anatomy. I wouldn't want a surgeon operating on incomplete information.

Someone doing a urological or other lower abdominal/pelvic area scan may need to know that you have a male pelvic bone structure (which could affect what angles they should scan from).

However, some history-taking is CYA for legal purposes.

[Guest DesiB]

A surgeon or anesthesiologist might need to know a complete surgical history to know whether to ask about whether you've ever had difficulties with anesthesia, bleeding, or other complications. If you're thus disclosing GRS, a vas won't change their understanding of your present anatomy. I wouldn't want a surgeon operating on incomplete information.

Someone doing a urological or other lower abdominal/pelvic area scan may need to know that you have a male pelvic bone structure (which could affect what angles they should scan from).

However, some history-taking is CYA for legal purposes.

And here we've come full circle--I'm trans* (M2F, in my case), therefore it sounds like I must be identified as having a male bone structure. It must be true that men are from Mars and women are from Venus and there is absolutely no common background, no crossover, no gray area--despite the fact that medical experts who did not get a warning label about me and saw my interior through a CT scan interpreted "evidence of hysterectomy" and made no mention of any male bones or prostate (which is now shrunken to the size of any female 'g-spot' or 'urethral sponge' which is very difficult to locate, especially when unstimulated).

Sorry, I'm still not buying it.

[Charlize]

Amongst the first people i came out to were medical professionals. I had nothing to hide then and i don't know. I recently actually enjoyed being asked by a nurse who was doing an intake about my last period. Sorry dear but i'm trans. It gave a chance to talk a bit and maybe she understands us better. Getting called out by my male name at the waiting room will soon be a thing of the past. Medicare is dreadfully slow. But i'll never get full surgery due to medical problems with my heart i'm no longer ashamed of who i am and in some situations am happy to share. We all feel differently about this and thats certainly understandable.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Ravin]

A surgeon or anesthesiologist might need to know a complete surgical history to know whether to ask about whether you've ever had difficulties with anesthesia, bleeding, or other complications. If you're thus disclosing GRS, a vas won't change their understanding of your present anatomy. I wouldn't want a surgeon operating on incomplete information.

Someone doing a urological or other lower abdominal/pelvic area scan may need to know that you have a male pelvic bone structure (which could affect what angles they should scan from).

However, some history-taking is CYA for legal purposes.

And here we've come full circle--I'm trans* (M2F, in my case), therefore it sounds like I must be identified as having a male bone structure. It must be true that men are from Mars and women are from Venus and there is absolutely no common background, no crossover, no gray area--despite the fact that medical experts who did not get a warning label about me and saw my interior through a CT scan interpreted "evidence of hysterectomy" and made no mention of any male bones or prostate (which is now shrunken to the size of any female 'g-spot' or 'urethral sponge' which is very difficult to locate, especially when unstimulated).

Sorry, I'm still not buying it.

Of course there is a bit of overlap. And it probably wasn't relevant to the scan you underwent. However, I learned to discern between male and female pelvises in an introductory physical anthropology class. Which is to say, the vast majority of the time it's pretty clear and obvious. The differences are a result of female anatomy having to allow for our offsprings' big heads to pass through the pelvic ring, at the expense of some efficiency in running/walking.

I would discuss the relevance with the doctor before they send off requesting something with unnecessary identifiers on it. But there's no way I'd want someone diagnosing or operating on me with less than full information. In the end, it's up to you to decide which is more important--confidentiality w/r/t auxilary health care professionals, or ensuring there are no gaps in information which could lead to mistakes or be pointed to as an excuse when mistakes are made.

That said, once I've fully legally transitioned, there are plenty of health care people who don't need to know, imo. Like my dentist. Or the mammography place in your case. A general practice doc at the urgent care treating my sinus infection. Etc.

[Guest Leah1026]

Let's try this again as the forum software wiped out my first attempt.

And here we've come full circle--I'm trans* (M2F, in my case), therefore it sounds like I must be identified as having a male bone structure. It must be true that men are from Mars and women are from Venus and there is absolutely no common background, no crossover, no gray area--despite the fact that medical experts who did not get a warning label about me and saw my interior through a CT scan interpreted "evidence of hysterectomy" and made no mention of any male bones or prostate (which is now shrunken to the size of any female 'g-spot' or 'urethral sponge' which is very difficult to locate, especially when unstimulated).

1. Radiologists are highly trained to look for pathology. They are not looking at whether a person bone structure is male or female.

2. The CT images they were reading are thin cross-sectional images which are great for finding pathology. Trying to judge bone structure from such images is very difficult. Plain x-rays, which I do and a radiologic technologist, are much better suited for such things. But again, the radiologists just aren't looking for that, they're too busy looking for pathology.

3. As far as "evidence of hysterectomy" goes... All that means is they didn't see a uterus or ovaries and they assumed it was because of a hysterectomy. Again, they're looking for pathology, not to sex people.

My advice is to shop around for a good doctor. The doctor I have is great, a true professional and at the same time super compassionate. He's a throwback to the way doctors were many years ago. Anywho, other medical providers and workers only get information on a need to know basis, and most of the time they don't have a need to know. Before my colonoscopy 18 months ago I didn't think they needed to know when I filled out my history forms. My doctor knows, these others don't need to know. I guess it also helps that I've always been very healthy, rarely needing to see anyone besides my regular doctor. For example: In 11 years at my present job I've only missed one day because of illness.

[~Nova~]

The truth here is that you were born male and therefore are male. It doesn't matter if you, and I, have removed the penis, you are still physiologically male. It is very important for your medical records to be accurate and up to date. Any radiologist worth his degree would know right away you didn't just have a hysterectomy, the anatomy is completely different. Plus, a neo vag is a huge difference on an X-ray and a ct

That being said, A males lab results will also have differences

To think that just because you have had bottom surgery changes your medical therapy is just plain naive. Medical records are confidential for a reason. If you cannot be honest with those people you are trusting your life, then you need to rethink your medical usage. I've been in the medical field as a clinical lab scientist for 25 years and gender is a big part of the results.

The only complaint you should have is if you feel that you were treated differently or if you feel you were put " on display"

Let's be real here folks, vaginoplasty is removal of the penis and creating a cavity, period. It doesn't make your body and more female. Other than removing the testes and therefore the T.

[Guest Sarah Faith]

The truth here is that you were born male and therefore are male. It doesn't matter if you, and I, have removed the penis, you are still physiologically male. It is very important for your medical records to be accurate and up to date. Any radiologist worth his degree would know right away you didn't just have a hysterectomy, the anatomy is completely different. Plus, a neo vag is a huge difference on an X-ray and a ct

That being said, A males lab results will also have differences

To think that just because you have had bottom surgery changes your medical therapy is just plain naive. Medical records are confidential for a reason. If you cannot be honest with those people you are trusting your life, then you need to rethink your medical usage. I've been in the medical field as a clinical lab scientist for 25 years and gender is a big part of the results.

The only complaint you should have is if you feel that you were treated differently or if you feel you were put " on display"

Let's be real here folks, vaginoplasty is removal of the penis and creating a cavity, period. It doesn't make your body and more female. Other than removing the testes and therefore the T.

Well firstly I would say Radiologists aren't sitting around looking for evidence that someone is trans, I doubt they really care.

Honestly I agree with Leah on this one, only my primary care physician knows that I am trans. I feel absolutely no need to tell every person in a medical setting that I am trans, and honestly outside of the drugs I am taking and other risk factors I see no real reason that it would matter. Honestly as a medical scientist you should know that some of the risk factors attributed to females is actually linked to estrogen and other hormone levels not the XX or XY chromosomes. Also there are trans individuals who started HRT relatively young and their skeletal structure is not that different than a natal female.

Saying that trans people are merely males with surgically constructed cavities is pretty misleading. I would say medical care concerning trans individuals would be more complicated and far less black and white then you are trying to portray. Like I said previously a transwoman with female levels of hormones for example simply has different risk factors than a natal male with normal male hormone levels. The Doctor I am currently working under told me just this week that hormones have shown to affect migraine frequency and duration for example..

Where exactly would you say gender plays a huge factor in lab work outside of tests for sex chromosomes? Which you should know is often prohibitively expensive and would never be done with out being requested by a Doctor. Medical history is important yes but only to the Doctors and nurses, it hardly matters or is any business of a lab tech. Even if a lab tech does interpret results, the Doctors I know always do their own interpreting. So again the only person that needs to know my medical history is my Doctor, and only if they feel its important to markdown my birth gender on my labs or x-rays or whatever does the radiologist or lab tech need to know anything about it. Which all my charts have me as Female and my Doctor back in Colorado never felt it was required to mark down my birth gender on x-rays or blood work.. So I really don't think birth sex plays a huge of a role as you are portraying.

[Carolyn Marie]

The issue, as Desi described it, really comes down to what is appropriate in individual situations. If it makes a difference, medically, to draw attention to ones trans status for a particular procedure, analysis or diagnosis, then I can understand the need to make an appropriate notation. But if there is no such need, then the person's chart, lab orders, or referral request, should not have a TG notation on it. If a blood test has different diagnostic ranges for male or female, I would hope that the doctor would be the one making that analysis, not a lab technician. There are exceptions to everything, of course.

The truth here is that you were born male and therefore are male..

While this is a scientifically accurate statement, it still smarts when said in that manner.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest DesiB]

Thank you, Leah and Sarah, for adding to the conversation with very reasonable, caring, and informative comments. I will have to refrain from directly responding to anyone here who claims to know conclusively my birth sex, since even doctors who perform the deliveries themselves are known to make mistakes, since all conditions are not visibly apparently externally at birth and so far I've never had reason to have any genetic testing done--not that I believe that is a conclusive determinant of sex either. There are creatures that do change sex in nature without changing their genes, but that's an entire new topic in itself. There actually are several elements that combine to determine one's sex--it's really not a simple dichotomy with a single determining factor. I thought it would have been accepted, at least for the sake of this conversation, that I declared that I was born female, even though I was misidentified as male at birth. But I guess my identity cannot even be accepted here.

Anyway, I suppose it is fair that the opposite view of the one I stated originally could be that we all should be described by the same terminology since, even if we are actually one sex and simply have extreme cosmetic surgery and dress as the opposite sex of what we really are, the term transgender fits us all pretty well. Is that the other viewpoint? I just want to express it correctly, even though I vehemently disagree with it.

[~Nova~]

The truth here is that you were born male and therefore are male. It doesn't matter if you, and I, have removed the penis, you are still physiologically male. It is very important for your medical records to be accurate and up to date. Any radiologist worth his degree would know right away you didn't just have a hysterectomy, the anatomy is completely different. Plus, a neo vag is a huge difference on an X-ray and a ct

That being said, A males lab results will also have differences

To think that just because you have had bottom surgery changes your medical therapy is just plain naive. Medical records are confidential for a reason. If you cannot be honest with those people you are trusting your life, then you need to rethink your medical usage. I've been in the medical field as a clinical lab scientist for 25 years and gender is a big part of the results.

The only complaint you should have is if you feel that you were treated differently or if you feel you were put " on display"

Let's be real here folks, vaginoplasty is removal of the penis and creating a cavity, period. It doesn't make your body and more female. Other than removing the testes and therefore the T.

Well firstly I would say Radiologists aren't sitting around looking for evidence that someone is trans, I doubt they really care.

Honestly I agree with Leah on this one, only my primary care physician knows that I am trans. I feel absolutely no need to tell every person in a medical setting that I am trans, and honestly outside of the drugs I am taking and other risk factors I see no real reason that it would matter. Honestly as a medical scientist you should know that some of the risk factors attributed to females is actually linked to estrogen and other hormone levels not the XX or XY chromosomes. Also there are trans individuals who started HRT relatively young and their skeletal structure is not that different than a natal female.

Saying that trans people are merely males with surgically constructed cavities is pretty misleading. I would say medical care concerning trans individuals would be more complicated and far less black and white then you are trying to portray. Like I said previously a transwoman with female levels of hormones for example simply has different risk factors than a natal male with normal male hormone levels. The Doctor I am currently working under told me just this week that hormones have shown to affect migraine frequency and duration for example..

Where exactly would you say gender plays a huge factor in lab work outside of tests for sex chromosomes? Which you should know is often prohibitively expensive and would never be done with out being requested by a Doctor. Medical history is important yes but only to the Doctors and nurses, it hardly matters or is any business of a lab tech. Even if a lab tech does interpret results, the Doctors I know always do their own interpreting. So again the only person that needs to know my medical history is my Doctor, and only if they feel its important to markdown my birth gender on my labs or x-rays or whatever does the radiologist or lab tech need to know anything about it. Which all my charts have me as Female and my Doctor back in Colorado never felt it was required to mark down my birth gender on x-rays or blood work.. So I really don't think birth sex plays a huge of a role as you are portraying.

I never said it changes chromosomes, I actually said doesn't. Many lab tests... The easiest is the blood count will not change. If a male has a lower hgb, say 11, it may be a concern or a prod tome to something else, however, that same number in a female would be considered a normal value, especially if she is on menses.

Please don't confuse living female as actually being female. No matter how much surgery we have, no matter how early you start hormones, being born male is being male. Yes, hormones can change a lot, but most t girls are only on one hormone, E. The female body is complex and no matter how many surgeries we have to appear female, we simply are not.

[~Nova~]

The issue, as Desi described it, really comes down to what is appropriate in individual situations. If it makes a difference, medically, to draw attention to ones trans status for a particular procedure, analysis or diagnosis, then I can understand the need to make an appropriate notation. But if there is no such need, then the person's chart, lab orders, or referral request, should not have a TG notation on it. If a blood test has different diagnostic ranges for male or female, I would hope that the doctor would be the one making that analysis, not a lab technician. There are exceptions to everything, of course.

The truth here is that you were born male and therefore are male..

While this is a scientifically accurate statement, it still smarts when said in that manner.

Carolyn Marie

Sorry CM, I'm a realist and honest to a fault. :-(

[~Nova~]

Thank you, Leah and Sarah, for adding to the conversation with very reasonable, caring, and informative comments. I will have to refrain from directly responding to anyone here who claims to know conclusively my birth sex, since even doctors who perform the deliveries themselves are known to make mistakes, since all conditions are not visibly apparently externally at birth and so far I've never had reason to have any genetic testing done--not that I believe that is a conclusive determinant of sex either. There are creatures that do change sex in nature without changing their genes, but that's an entire new topic in itself. There actually are several elements that combine to determine one's sex--it's really not a simple dichotomy with a single determining factor. I thought it would have been accepted, at least for the sake of this conversation, that I declared that I was born female, even though I was misidentified as male at birth. But I guess my identity cannot even be accepted here.

Anyway, I suppose it is fair that the opposite view of the one I stated originally could be that we all should be described by the same terminology since, even if we are actually one sex and simply have extreme cosmetic surgery and dress as the opposite sex of what we really are, the term transgender fits us all pretty well. Is that the other viewpoint? I just want to express it correctly, even though I vehemently disagree with it.

If you think you're interested, then your chart should state that also. No matter what organ you now have between your legs, no matter what your brain, our brain says, we cannot change physiologically who and what we are. You can believe you are female, I do, but I also know that I was born with a male body. Just like any other medical condition, I would want the doctor who's hands my life are in to be informed.

[Guest Sarah Faith]

I never said it changes chromosomes, I said that common medical risk factors that doctors actually care about tend to be more linked with hormones, age, weight, and overall body build.. Like I said my doctor never marks down my trans history for the lab techs to look at and has actually told me that she takes into account both male and female risk factors when deciding on treatments.. Meaning I don't need to go around sharing my medical history with every single medical professional I encounter, and even though things in the lab may be cut and dry it isn't quite as cut and dry in actual practice..

I'm a biology student, I know full well how biology works, and I never once said that male and female physiology are identical. I understand on a basic biological level that hormones do not change everything, and that it doesn't change genetics.. I also however understand fully that hormones inform the cells in the body which set of chromosomes that already exist in said genetics to express physically. We all start off as female in the womb, and our bodies develop based on hormones that are released based on the chromosomes in question, this is why men still have nipples and the ability to develop breast tissue. So if placed on HRT during puberty instead of allowed a normal male puberty young transitioners can develop relative normative female bodies .. The body is malleable and hormones are one of the most powerful elements in the body that can manipulate how genes are expressed, it isn't as cut and dry as you make it out to be.

You are constantly saying we have male bodies, are you meaning that literally as in down to the XY? Or do you mean that is in we all have standard male physical builds? I know many trans-women who are 5'6" (or shorter) and have fairly typical cis-female builds my self included. So yes at a basic level we may have male physiology, but that doesn't mean every trans-womans body falls into the male ranges. It also means that not every trans-woman will look male under an x-ray, so yes again Leah was correct in the statements she made regarding x-rays.

Lets please keep in mind that the dimorphism between male and female varies greatly from individual to individual and regardless of anything else we are still all human. Male and Females are not THAT alien to one another.

[~Nova~]

I never said it changes chromosomes, I said that common medical risk factors that doctors actually care about tend to be more linked with hormones, age, weight, and overall body build.. Like I said my doctor never marks down my trans history for the lab techs to look at and has actually told me that she takes into account both male and female risk factors when deciding on treatments.. Meaning I don't need to go around sharing my medical history with every single medical professional I encounter, and even though things in the lab may be cut and dry it isn't quite as cut and dry in actual practice..

I'm a biology student, I know full well how biology works, and I never once said that male and female physiology are identical. I understand on a basic biological level that hormones do not change everything, and that it doesn't change genetics.. I also however understand fully that hormones inform the cells in the body which set of chromosomes that already exist in said genetics to express physically. We all start off as female in the womb, and our bodies develop based on hormones that are released based on the chromosomes in question, this is why men still have nipples and the ability to develop breast tissue. So if placed on HRT during puberty instead of allowed a normal male puberty young transitioners can develop relative normative female bodies .. The body is malleable and hormones are one of the most powerful elements in the body that can manipulate how genes are expressed, it isn't as cut and dry as you make it out to be.

You are constantly saying we have male bodies, are you meaning that literally as in down to the XY? Or do you mean that is in we all have standard male physical builds? I know many trans-women who are 5'6" (or shorter) and have fairly typical cis-female builds my self included. So yes at a basic level we may have male physiology, but that doesn't mean every trans-womans body falls into the male ranges. It also means that not every trans-woman will look male under an x-ray, so yes again Leah was correct in the statements she made regarding x-rays.

Lets please keep in mind that the dimorphism between male and female varies greatly from individual to individual and regardless of anything else we are still all human. Male and Females are not THAT alien to one another.

I happen to be a licensed x ray tech too, please feel free to check with the state regarding my credentials, and yes, there are HUGE DIFFERENCES in male anatomy and female anatomy on an X-ray. Ok, given, a chest X-ray wouldnt show much of a difference, but abdominal, um, yes... Wouldn't you want the rad reading the X-ray to know what he's looking at, or prefer him/her to guess or misread the X-ray.

Please feel free to keep your doctors in the dark about your medical history, it's a sure fire way to make sure your not given the correct DX.

I'm done with this thread. If you want to believe taking a little blue pill and the. Having surgery makes you female, please feel free, me, I'll just tell the doc and medical persons that need to know so I'm getting the best medical care possible.

It's al about stealth, even if your life depends on it. Eek!