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MindBlind
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26 Jan 2017, 9:44 pm

I'm cis but I am curious about this topic. A friend of mine was assessed for Gender Dysphoria and they were told that they didn't have it. What really sucks is that regardless of their gender identity they are in a vulnerable mental state and don't seem to be getting any support whatsoever. The complacency of the clinic is shocking to me because as far as I know there have been no referrals to other services or any explanation as to why they came to their conclusion. It's very distressing for my friend as I'm sure many people here can relate to.

What are your own experiences with the assessment? Has anyone been told by one clinic that they are trans and by another that they were? Even if my friend isn't trans surely they should be able to get some kind of help. They are most certainly struggling with their gender identity to some capacity and given the distress it causes them I don't think this is something to just ignore.

I would greatly appreciate your feedback. I want to learn as much as I can to help my friend.



C2V
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10 Apr 2017, 5:48 am

I suppose it could be a few things - a) They may be trans and would meet the criteria for Gender Identity Disorder, and the person who assessed them was just wrong about that diagnosis, or b) the clinician found other indications that discounted Gender Identity Disorder in favour of something else (as in other mental health conditions) and they should have been redirected to someone else who deals with those issues instead.
There is also the "Questioning" part of the acronym. That may be where they're at, and a counselor who works with gender diverse people may be able to help them get a clearer understanding of what is going on for them.
If this is still an issue they may have to see someone else. It is possible that it wasn't caught in the first assessment or that it was more complicated than norm. However a diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder shouldn't make much difference unless your friend is seeking medical transition. Many people are just forced to take on this "disorder" in order to access reassignment. Even then, some transition procedures may not require a diagnosis at all. If they are not seeking transition, but identify as trans themselves, a diagnosis may not be what they need - general counseling by someone who understand gender diversity might.
I can't say anyone ever told me I wasn't trans, so can't offer an insight there.


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RandomCitizen80
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16 Apr 2017, 6:45 pm

I agree with the above. I've never been flat out told that I was not trans but I have had issues (for lack of better wording) with medical professionals at times. The idea of being transgender and the idea of medically transitioning is still relatively new and many doctors don't know how to properly navigate the area. I had one surgeon compare me to satan and equate my changes with alcoholism. I had another simply suggest that I was hiding behind dysphoria as a coping mechanism for past trauma (thanks Freud). I was with a friend at a urgent care clinic and they suggested her spiro pills were making her sick--second opinion at a clinic across town showed that she had the flu. People see what they want to see.

With all that room for human error in the medical community it's hard to say who's to blame. It could have been a poor doctor, or gender dysphoria may have been overshadowed by something else. I think picking the right practice is a huge part of having a successful transition experience.

I hope your friend finds the help they need. Did they go somewhere that specifically catered to lgbt patients?