The Transgender Experience

Hi @Jasper

Thanks so much for your post. Commitment to working with diverse communities in medical practice is so important as you point out. It is indeed how we treat the most vulnerable that says most about who we are and about our society.

Sounds like you have had some very difficult experiences, sorry to hear that medical tretment has been tough for you at times.

I was also wondering if other people had had similar experiences and what their thoughts are?

FeeFee

Hi Jasper

thank you for sharing your transgender story, it's a complex and difficult journey and one most no little about. I am fortunate to know a number of transgender people and currently have a wonderful new friend who is in transition. We bonded over shared mental health issues. As we all know mental illness does not discriminate, and neither should humans.

I have accute complex post traumatic stress disorder, it's taken 20 years and a recent traumatic experience to get an official diagnosis. I find knowing like minded individuals has been the most helpful tool in my recovery.

I wish you well and hope that our world becomes more understanding and empathic of the complexity of transgender people.

Hi @Jasper, wondering how you are travellin' - Have been thinking about you, about all of us and your lived experience.

There was a fantastic woman, a commentator and (disability) advocate named Stella Young, who sadly passed away last year. She was fearless in her approach to speaking out and being a voice for people living with diabilities. One of the things I learned from her was just how it is such a misunderstanding to say that someone who is living with any particualr life's challenge but gets out there and does it is 'brave' or courageous, or inspirational - she was very clear - she wasn't - she was just being herself.

I tend to agree, that when we come out - and speak up, no longer hide who we are (whoever that 'who' is) we are not necesarily being 'brave' or corageous, but rather claiming space that should have been ours already.

When you speak of your lived experience, I hear a man who has claimed his place in the world, and that is encouraging to me, and to others. Thank you.

If anyone is interested in hearing Stella speak on this - this video is good.
https://youtu.be/8K9Gg164Bsw

Hi MoonGal,

Thank you for the video. I enjoy TED talks. I've been told I'm brave a number of times. I think what they mean is that I'm brave to stand tall and demand acknowledgement in a world that doesn't include me, but sometimes it comes out that I am brave to be myself. We're all brave to be ourselves. Some people just have a harder time accepting ouselves before we can do that.

Bravery to me is standing up to someone who is abusing another person or someone who puts their life of the line for someone else. I'm not certain if that is what I'm doing. I'm just trying to survive and have a good life.

I've been trialling new medication all year and having trouble with negative thoughts, which I've lived with since I was 7 years old. I think I would have had mental health problems even if I wasn't Trans and so the two are separate issues for me. I'm not saying that being Trans is easy, but I have accepted this is who I am and I have a great life because of it. I have a community, friends and family who accept me and we celebrate our achievements together. I have had a great education and many opportunities. I have lived a privileged life in many respects.

My mental health is just another aspect of my life that lots of other people are also struggling with. Hopefully, I can continue to utilise my skills, knowledge and recources to develop my understanding of my mental health and get back into the workforce asap. I've been on a new anti-psychotic these last 2 months and I feel it has made me worse, especially my anxiety, confusion and sleeplessness. So, it's back to my Psych next week to find another medication to trial. This year has had its ups and downs, and one of those downs has been that I have been trialling medications all year and never found one that can replace my old meds (had to go off my old meds due to weight gain, common story).

Anyway, that's my update.

Despite her fantastic Aussie Battler directness and humour ... Stella Young is an inpsiration to many .. RIP.

Thanks. Yeh, I know Trans people who have it alot harder than me. Luckily, my partner is also Trans and so we talk with each other about much of the hard stuff. I hope you have supports too.