I live in Chicago. I have a trans son.
Most would think gender-affirming care is easy here. It's not.
1. Providers who are trained and knowledgable about gender-affirming care are few and far between when considered in relation to general pediatrics.
#ProtectTransKids
Most would think gender-affirming care is easy here. It's not.
1. Providers who are trained and knowledgable about gender-affirming care are few and far between when considered in relation to general pediatrics.
#ProtectTransKids
https://twitter.com/herong/status/1537096195797024768
2. Which means, many of those providers have long wait times for initial appointments.
3. We travel roughly 30/45 minutes (with traffic), and we live *in* the city. Some families travel from the suburbs, down state. They spend an entire day (sometimes more) on appointments.
3. We travel roughly 30/45 minutes (with traffic), and we live *in* the city. Some families travel from the suburbs, down state. They spend an entire day (sometimes more) on appointments.
4. Before puberty blockers were prescribed, we had multiple appointments, from bone scans to endocrinologists to mental health care providers to social workers.
Hours and hours of health care appointments.
And again, the clinic was fairly easy for us to access. Not so for many.
Hours and hours of health care appointments.
And again, the clinic was fairly easy for us to access. Not so for many.
What cis writers who understand *nothing* about gender-affirming care but still write about it do is very damaging on a lot of fronts.
You choke the life out of any honest conversation around care for trans youth by uplifting narratives that are either false or have no nuance.
You choke the life out of any honest conversation around care for trans youth by uplifting narratives that are either false or have no nuance.
As the parent of a trans son, don't you think I've thought deeply about how to approach health care for my child?
Of course I have.
But there's no way to have honest conversations because you all who write about what you don't know make it a GOTCHA moment.
Of course I have.
But there's no way to have honest conversations because you all who write about what you don't know make it a GOTCHA moment.
"See! See! This parent is being forced to let their kid transition when they don't want to!"
The conversations parents of trans kids are having with their kids and their kid's health care providers are very intimate, honest and candid.
The conversations parents of trans kids are having with their kids and their kid's health care providers are very intimate, honest and candid.
Questions are asked and answered. What ifs are wondered out loud. Risk is thoroughly assessed. General health monitored. Challenges addressed. JOY and EXCITEMENT and CERTAINTY acknowledged.
Most all of this care, even with affirming providers!, is done under a microscope.
Most all of this care, even with affirming providers!, is done under a microscope.
Remember, this is in Chicago, a city most people envision as a trans Utopia where gender-affirming care is handed out like candy.
Every family is different. Every trans kids is different. And when you, who know nothing about us, concern troll our kids, it's hugely disrespectful.
Every family is different. Every trans kids is different. And when you, who know nothing about us, concern troll our kids, it's hugely disrespectful.
And all you really accomplish is shoveling more disinformation and misinformation to people who know as little as you do on the topic and have no intention of getting truly educated.
You're doing real harm to kids like my son.
#ProtectTransKids
You're doing real harm to kids like my son.
#ProtectTransKids
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