WP3 Post #1
Disparity in Healthcare Amongst Transgender Patients
Across social and print media sources alike, I've been noticing a rise in people discussing the unjust disadvantages trans people are subjected to when trying to achieve basic healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare alike. If they are even abetted in their endeavors to receive medical assistance in their gender identity, many trans people are forced to wait months, if not years, to begin treatment. From transphobia and disbelief or disregarding of the patient's needs amongst doctors, nurses, and other medical staff to pending legislation that criminalizes gender affirming healthcare services, it is no wonder that the suicide and depression rates of transgender people, particularly the transgender youth population, are so high in comparison to other groups.
It is beyond important to consider the disparity in healthcare amongst the transgender community lest these already-astronomical mortality and mental illness rates continue to rise. There is arguably no reason that transphobia should persist in medicine moving forward; the blatantly essentialist perspective by which healthcare is still handled in modern society is not to be tolerated or systemically perpetuated any longer.
I think mental illness for transgender youth is such an important point to make, and something that can be explored in your paper. Talk about therapy and psychiatry with transgender youth, and how they may be marginalized by that aspect of healthcare that many seek support from. I would love to see what specific points you will discuss, perhaps in emergency medicine too. Also, looking at transgender doctors would be an interesting point, and how they are underrepresented.
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