Pride Club Program Addresses Transgender Experiences with Medical Professionals
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Increasing knowledge about and sensitivity to the unique needs
of transgender medical patients and massage clients was the topic
of discussion at the Pride Medical Alliance club (PMA) meeting on
March 4 at National University of Health Sciences in Lombard,
Ill.
Speakers Emma J. Vosicky (left)
and Jaime T. Pagano (right) with Pride Medical Alliance Club
members
Speakers Emma J. Vosicky and Jaime T. Pagano discussed the
physical and emotional challenges they faced before, during and
after transitioning to their gender identity. They specifically
addressed their concerns and experiences with medical
professionals, from doctors to dentists.
Vosicky, an attorney, discussed the necessity to "out" herself
to medical professionals when they asked about medications taken or
previous medical history. She shared her experience of loss of
family, church and children and carries a fear of who will betray
her next into medical offices, where she said she is terrified of
how she will be taken care of by everyone from the front desk staff
to the doctors themselves.
In response to a question about visit intake forms, Pagano, a
licensed clinical professional counselor, said he feels safer when
he sees a form that includes options such as gender non-conforming,
non-binary, trans-female and trans-male, in addition to male and
female. He said it helps to feel that the provider he's seeing is
aware and cognizant that we are not living in a male/female only
world. He also feels more confident that the provider will be more
clinically aware of his needs. The speakers suggested that health
care providers consider ways they can let their clients or patients
know that they are non-discriminatory.
The program
video is available on the PMA Facebook page.
