Olivia's 2nd Critical Resource Essay

“What Doctors Should Know about Gender Identity Critical Resource Response”

How would you feel if a doctor denied your healthcare needs? My topic is about the necessity to train doctors and medical professionals on how to treat the unique health care needs of the Transgender community. I will argue that doctors and health care professionals should be trained to treat with respect and dignity the needs of the Transgender community and dismiss the myths placed on them. I agree that training health care professionals how to treat the needs of the Transgender community not only treats and acknowledges them as humans but diminishes the fears of discrimination, rejection, and dehumanization and empowers and allows them to speak up about their true selves.

When it comes the medical treatment of Transgender people there are many myths. Doctors and healthcare professionals believe these myths because they have not been properly trained or educated on how to treat Transgender people. Overstreet stated “I hear myths every single day that aren’t true at all. A couple of those are. . . transgender people are mentally ill, this is a disorder; and these people aren’t real men and women.” Gender identity is a spectrum, the binary system of just man and women is not true. Think of many people who never question whether they are a man or women as an example, they simply have always known themselves to be a man or women. This is the same for transgender people, they just feel and know who they are, their sense of self. They are just like everyone else, real human men and women.

If Doctors and healthcare professionals are trained and educated, it would not only benefit trans people but the doctors as well. Overstreet stated “How that doctor treats that patient will set the whole tone for the office. If that doctor treats that male with the correct pronouns, correct name, gives dignity and respect, it’s highly likely that the rest of the staff will too.” If more doctors treated transgender patients with respect, many would not fear discrimination, and return to those doctor’s offices. Therefore, the transgender community would get their medical needs met without being treated unequally and doctors’ offices would have more business from the large growing population of transgender patients.

The world today Is changing, and more and more people are coming out. It is time that we change the social norms. The social norms of treatment of transgender people by healthcare providers and doctors is not right. Overstreet said, “The number of this community is increasing. . . There’s more awareness. . . There’s more safety, so people are speaking up about their true self like never before. That’s why it’s so important that our health care system get on board and make sure our doctors and healthcare providers are trained to approach these patients with dignity and respect. . .” Taking this opportunity of the growing transgender awareness is the perfect time to properly educate and train healthcare providers and get the health care system on board, and change the social norms.

Educating and training doctors and health care providers will help transgender people get their medical needs met, and the respect they deserve. This also diminishes the discrimination, myths, and social rejection they face. Transgender people are human and deserve the same treatment and health care that everyone does. So, with transgender awareness and the numbers of the community on the rise this is the perfect chance to educate and train doctors, healthcare providers, and everyone on the unique health needs and risks transgender people face and be able to provide for the specific needs.

Word Count: 598

Overstreet, Kristie. “What Doctors Should Know about Gender Identity.” TED, www.ted.com/talks/kristie_overstreet_what_doctors_should_know_about_gender_identity/up-next?language=en.