Transition Support Course        Glasgow     8-10 March

Organised by LGBT Health who also run Trans Saturday pm sessions here and Edinburgh.

Thanks to Karen Barrie for telling us all it was happening.

I’ll just list tips and observations as bullet points :

18 attendees – 12 were MtF and 12 overall were under 30

We were all here because we wanted to become a woman (or non binary or a man).

Surgery – older you are more risk attached to having parts ‘removed’

Hormones - Gel, pills or patches – Gel was preferred although most expensive option

Everyone was in the NHS queue and were already or consider going private meanwhile

GIC wait times to 1^st appointment – 2 years Nottingham, 5 years Glasgow, rest in between

Everyone should put their name of the list regardless (GP having then vouched for you).

One attendee had now had 3 NHS appointments, but felt he was trying to stall him

Your always still learning, even 3 years into hormones

Easier and more acceptable to come out these days – for youngsters especially.

Go onto testosterone blockers about same time as estrogen (as test’one more powerful)

Fundamentally you need the confidence to come out. At work just tell HR manager first.

Many younger attendees already changed their name by Deed Poll or Statutory Declaration

We came away with ‘set letters’ for Birth Cert, Bank, HMRC, Passport, Driving Licence etc

Need to tell your GIC separately. Although its not illegal to have 2 names.

Need to make a new will and advise your executors.

Gender GP (online only) was the favoured private provider, although they have lately gone onto an even more automated system, which has left some clients feeling cast adrift.

Medical

Bridging prescriptions - a temporary prescription of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), typically oestrogen or testosterone, issued by a GP to a patient who is waiting for specialist treatment, usually at a gender dysphoria clinic (formerly known as GIC).

Try to persuade your GP to get on board.

Shared Care - NHS, Right to Choose and Private Providers. This is a term used within the NHS to describe the situation where a specialist doctor wishes to pass some of the patient's care, such as prescription of medication, over to their general practitioner (GP).

Again, try to persuade your GP to get on board.

‘Endocrine Guidance’ was also a document worth looking up on the internet

Other useful reference sites were General medical Council …. Transhealth

And GenderGP ……. Bridging hormones

Don’t self medicate

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexuals don’t always get on with Transgender it was found at say Pride events. Whereas non binary had no problem.

Possibly because LGB is who you want to sleep with, whereas trans is just who you are ?

Coming Out – it’s a rolling process. Most came out to a family member first. Some were unfortunately outed. Some parents didn’t take it so well. We went through a work book plan, easier in theory than reality !

Tell close friends first then later you may lose some along the way, yes it’s hard and lonely to be who you really want to be to the rest of the world. (a few attendees understandably became upset during some delicate sessions).

No one could quite define ‘living in the role for over a year’ for NHS treatment.

More surgery is obviously available for Trans Women than Men.

The final session was more laid back, with us splitting into Trans Woman and others

TW group were asked to ensure they had correct bra size

We then went through a full range of lingerie brought along.

I realise some at Beaumont will find some new info here, yet others were aware already.

Ellie