Jesse Brown Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Chicago's Illinois Medical Discrict

[AshleyC]

Any transgenders vets stay away from Jesse Brown VA Medical Center that's in Chicago's Illinois Medical district.

I've been legally a female since the 10Oct13 and went to register at the Jesse Brown facility in mid March. I waited in line and met with Lucas which was the person that ended up registering me. He asked me to follow him to his desk and we started the process. I told him that I was a transgender and that my gender was legally female. That I've been seeing a civilian gender therapist and had notes from him. I also told him that I'd like to be marked down as that in their systems. He told me that he wasn't sure if he could do it and asked if he could please have my license to show the manager out back. I told him sure and waited. He came back telling me that I needed SRS in order to have my gender to be listed correctly. I told him that wasn't the case and told him according to regulation SRS isn't required. I then asked him if he'd like me to pull it up on my phone. He told me yes. So I pulled it up and showed it to him. He asked me if I could give him the phone so he could show the manger. I said sure and handed it to him. About 10-20 mins later he came back with his manger. She was a rude individual that kept on addressing me incorrectly.

I told her that I'd like to have my gender marked down as female. She stated that it would mean being placed in a female room if I ever needed overnight care. I told her that I was aware of that. She then said that she couldn't do it because of the parts I have below would put other females at risk. She then walked away. I argued with Lucas for about 30 mins telling him that marking me down as male violates my legal rights. He got the manager again. Once again she was rude and kept on addressing me incorrectly. After 5-6 times of me correcting her she turned to Lucas and was talking to him while ignoring me completely and preferring me the same way. As she was leaving she gave me an evil look as if I did something wrong. Lucas then called somebody to see if there was anything he could do. I asked to talk to them and after a few minutes he handed me the phone. I talked wit the person and they asked me if I had a court order, a passport, doctor's note (gender therapist note didn't counted), court order, or an amended birth certificate. I told him no and then mentioned that according to my license that I'm legally female. He told me sorry but he couldn't help me. He asked to talk to Lucas. I handed him the phone.

He was instructed to mark me down as male in their systems. I argued a bit more when he told me that I only had two choices. The first would be to leave and get the necessary paperwork or he could register me as male and schedule me a doctor's appointment to get a note from them. I eventually caved and told him to mark me down as male. He asked my preference of doctors. I told him that I'd like to see a female doctor. He asked for my social security number and after I gave it to him he entered it into the computer. The computer assigned me a male doctor based on my social. He called and explained the situation to a supervisor. His supervisor gave him permission to change put my social incorrectly so that I'd be assigned to Dr. Goose. He did as instructed and after the registration process was complete, he scheduled me a doctor's appointment. He then showed me where the nurse's desk was. He asked me to wait a second and then talked to one of the people at the desk. He explained everything, including that the social was entered incorrectly. He then brought her over to me and introduced her. He told me that the day of my appointment, talk to her and she'll enter me as being there in the system. I told him no problem and left.

I went there for my appointment on 18Mar14 and did as instructed. I eventually was called by Dr. Goose and was brought back for a physical. I explained to her everything that happened. Well not everything, only that I couldn’t be marked down as female due to I didn't have the necessary paperwork. I gave her copies of notes from my gender therapist, endo recommendation, and also my driver's license. She told me that with everything I had that she was surprised that they wouldn't do it. I told her that I know means that you'd only refer to a therapist anyway. She then told me that she'd have the note ready for me tomorrow and that I was to pick it up at the nurses station. I left there happy hoping that things would finally be over.

She called while I was at school the next day to remind me that the note was there. The following day I picked it up. I then made my way to admin and talked with the same manager that's been giving me grief. I told her that I was there to have my gender changed in their systems. She told me once again that SRS was needed. I corrected her and took out the transgender directive, 2013-003, and showed her where it said that I needed a doctor's note. I then showed her the dr.'s note that I had from Dr. Goose. She looked at it and said that according to it that I needed a Dr note, passport update, birth certificate amended, and a court order. I asked if I needed all of it. She told rudely told me yes and that it was the VA's way of verifying that a person is in fact transgender. I protested and she snatched the instruction from my hand. She highlighted a section of it where it says that I was supposed to see the Privacy Officer. She then told me the wrong room.

I got to the room she told me and luckily the guy that was there knew where the privacy officer was. He told me that he was surprised that she sent me to him because she knew where the room was. He then showed me to the correct room. I thanked him and knocked on the door. An elder man answered and he too kept on addressing me incorrectly. He told me that the privacy officer wasn't in and that he was her assistant. He then asked why I was there and I told him. He gave me an odd look and told me that it's the first time he's had a person for that and that he'd need to call down to admin to see how to do it. He ended up talking to the same manager I've been talking to. She told him that I needed SRS. He turned to me and repeated what she told him. I showed him the instruction and he read it. He corrected her and then she said that I needed a birth certificate amended, court order, passport update, and a doctor’s note. He said to her that the instruction said I needed one of the following. She then asked him to check the note to verify that all the right markings were on it. After he verified it to her she told him to give me the request forms to have my records amended. I filled them out and he gave me copies. I then left.

I was agitated at what happened and googled the VA's email address to see if I could get help. I gave a detailed account as to the mistreatment I've received there. A week later I got a call from somebody that was working at the main branch. I believe he said it was in Houston, but I'm not positive. He apologized for everything that has happened. He then said that somebody from the Jesse Brown Medical Center would be calling me shortly to do the same. About 30 mins after I got off the phone with him somebody from the Jesse Brown place called. He too apologized and asked if I wanted everybody that wronged me to apologize also. I told him that it wouldn't be needed. We talked for a few mins and he before we hung up he told me that training would be done to ensure that this doesn't happen again. He then apologized again and we hung up. About a week later he called again to tell me that my gender would be changed that day. This was early April when he called. I thanked him and hung up. About a week later I went to the VA to verify. There I met the Privacy Officer the first time. She was real polite and addressed me correctly the entire time. I asked her if it's been changed and she told me that it hadn't been.

I asked if she could possibly give me an estimate on when it should be changed. She told me that it should be done within a few weeks. I asked if it would be done in time for my endo appointment. She told me that she wasn't sure. I went to my endo appointment 24Apr14. Everything went well there and he addressed me correctly. I was hopeful that things were changed in their systems. I gave him my GT's recommendation for hormones and he talked to his supervisor to give him permission to put me on them. She came out with him and told me that she gave approval. I thanked him and then she left. He sent me down to get lab work done. After that was complete I walked up to see the privacy officer. She told me that it wasn't done yet. I asked if she could give me an estimate she apologize and said she couldn't. She then stated that according the policy they only had 90 until they had to change it once it's been submitted. So I should expect it to happen within that timeframe. I left agitated.

I went there on a regular basis to check to see if it was updated and I kept on getting one apology after another, after another. After about 70 or 80 days after I submitted the request she started to apologize and told me that the manager has been out of her office for a week. She then said she would be back soon. I told her that it wasn't an excuse due to the time it's been. I left again. The 85th day I went back again to see if it was done. She told me no gave me the same excuse she gave me last time I was there. I demanded to talk to the manager and went down to admin. She wasn't there and was told by Lucas that the manager would be gone all day due meetings. He talked with the Privacy Officer and after he hung up with her he told me that he'll be on the one manager's case. The 90 day marker came and went. Still my gender wasn't changed in their systems. I got a call two and a half weeks ago and the Privacy Officer promised me that it would be changed in no more than 2 weeks. Needless to say that was one more promise that was broken. I'm currently in the process of trying to find a lawyer that handles LGBT cases to take that clinic to court.

There are other VA clinics in Chicago. Any vets go to them and give them a try. Hopefully your experiences will be better than mine.

[Charlize]

That sounds like a terrible and frustrating experience. I have been able to slowly get all my paperwork changed with the exception of a birth certificate. Governor Christe hasn't signed the legislation that would allow that without surgery. Perhaps it may be time for you to get a new passport. The State Department site has a very good description of the required doctors note. Somehow most objections to changing my gender have been overruled by a federal passport. The woman you were dealing will hopefully learn the law.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest Kenna Dixon]

What a nightmare!

There appears to be little or no uniformity among the various facilities in terms of how to handle situations such as yours.

When I first met with the endocrinologist at the Daytona Beach, Florida, clinic back in 2010, for primary care I was assigned to a woman doctor who had other transgender patients. And I was offered the option to be addressed as female whenever I came in, despite the fact that I wasn't presenting as such.

[VickySGV]

I would like to suggest that you get in touch with the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) http://transequality.org/ . They have an ongoing PRIORITY program of education and interaction with the VA in regard to this type of thing. They can and will bring it to the national offices attention which they have done with a high level of success.

[AshleyC]

That sounds like a terrible and frustrating experience. I have been able to slowly get all my paperwork changed with the exception of a birth certificate. Governor Christe hasn't signed the legislation that would allow that without surgery. Perhaps it may be time for you to get a new passport. The State Department site has a very good description of the required doctors note. Somehow most objections to changing my gender have been overruled by a federal passport. The woman you were dealing will hopefully learn the law.

Hugs,

Charlize

Getting a pasport wouldn't help. The 2013-003 says that I need one of the following, not all of the following as she stated. The person that is suppose to change it there is the one manager gal in admin that's been giving me grief. Her general views on transgender people really aren't the best. Like I said, she actually told me that because of my parts, I'd be putting other females at risk if my gender was marked down as female due to I'd be required to be in female rooms if I needed overnight care.

I would like to suggest that you get in touch with the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) http://transequality.org/ . They have an ongoing PRIORITY program of education and interaction with the VA in regard to this type of thing. They can and will bring it to the national offices attention which they have done with a high level of success.

Will do that later on today. Ty

[AshleyC]

What a nightmare!

There appears to be little or no uniformity among the various facilities in terms of how to handle situations such as yours.

When I first met with the endocrinologist at the Daytona Beach, Florida, clinic back in 2010, for primary care I was assigned to a woman doctor who had other transgender patients. And I was offered the option to be addressed as female whenever I came in, despite the fact that I wasn't presenting as such.

Sad part is it's not the information level or anything. The person that's suppose to update it was the manager that made bias comments against me due to me being preop.

[Guest ashleynikole]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with that. No one ever said our gov't was efficient at anything.

However, the silver lining is you have some seriously amazing tenacity. I would've given up on them long ago, but you go girl!!! Better you than me, because you'll make them change their ways.

God bless

Ashley

[AshleyC]

To be honest I have giving up on them. Downloaded my medical records from the VA yesterday and will probably start going to the Howard Brown Center after I get paid. I'm still waiting for replies from law firms to start the process

[AshleyC]

They finally updated my gender in their systems. I ended up needing to file an administration complaint against the Jesse Brown VA Clinic and threatened them with a lawsuit before they were willing to change it.

If anybody has simular issues with a VA clinic be sure to visit http://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/default.asp to file a complaint against them

[Carolyn Marie]

Persistence paid off for you, Ashley. I admire that very much. I'm glad not only for you, but for any other transfolk who walk in there in the years ahead. You've made it easier for them.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[AshleyC]

Thanks . I'm just glad that's done. That was the last place that I needed my gender to be corrected. I'm going to focus on getting a legal name change next lol and start the process all over again