You get treated subhuman. People in customer service suddenly don’t see a customer, but sub human. And I’m very good looking and presentable person. They literally abuse you, and they are at work!

This study was of 15 transmen and 15 transwomen in one State reporting instances of discrimination over their lifetimes. I’d venture to say that in modern times things are much better. I’ve certainly found no instances of medical discrimination over the past 5 years though I was too chicken to test the water before that.

I’ve had a number of presentations to Emergency departments of hospitals in the ACT and NSW over the last 2 years, including two ambulance trips. With one exception, each time I was in full femme mode. I’ve never felt that I was not given appropriate treatment as a result of my transgender status, although there’s been some serious medical incompetence that I assume (hope) was not connected to my gender identity. I’ve had a heart attack, stent, bypass and now ongoing arrhythmia problems. I do not have private health insurance, so my experiences are wholly within the public system.

With a couple of exceptions, the nurses and junior doctors have referred to me by my female name (their having asked what I prefer to be called), despite my official male medicare name that I haven’t yet managed to change. Specialists are a different story who, with the exception of my current cardiologist, tend not to use any name nor to introduce themselves by name.

Also, by and large, the nurses, doctors and auxiliary staff have been very respectful and understanding, some taking the time to chat with me and understand my journey.

After a recent admission to St Vincents in Sydney, the discharge report referred not only to my female name but also spoke of “she” and “her”. I was quite touched. Also, while in St Vincents and unable to walk to the toilet I was treated as female when needing to wee. So, in an emergency get yourself to St Vinnies if you can!

Regards.

The charity arm of st vinnies has vilified me grievously on two occasions here in Brisbane. In Sydney when they gave me food vouchers I told the lady I should be able to get a job at coles, she said, ” well they must have lowered their standards!”

I’m a shit magnet. It’s hell.

I’m really saddened that you’ve had those experiences Fiona and I don’t doubt what you’ve said. I know others who have similar experiences to yours.

As for myself, I’ve had no such experiences, even outside of the medical system, apart from occasional coldness in clothing stores and obscene remarks from the odd male delinquent. Perhaps this is because I’m older (65), or perhaps because I give off a “don’t even think of messing with me” aura. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful I don’t “cop it”, given my heart condition.

Regards.

ty for feeling sad for me.

I get absolute fury and aggression from strange women every day. Those OP shops are hostile to me, but I actually get treated well in normal clothing shops, mostly.

I think it’s because I fool men, not into bed or anything, just generally. So cis women really fight me hard. I don’t even want their ugly smelly asshat men.

I’m almost but not quite passable. It feels like a circumstance where 2nd place is a loser.

Omg I have trouble from them. Death stares, verbal abuse, physical menacing,

my only comfort is they aren’t laughing, but furious. That’s a good sign imo.

oh good I need trans friends.

Please remember ladies, hostility is the perpetrators problem, not yours. My experiences in hospitals within the ACT has been very favourable. Although I enter such establishments as male, I do wear ladies gear whilst in bed and all the staff know I’m TG.

I had a woolworths full of women try to lynch me in canberra. It was harrowing

I have to say I find this article amazing. I remember when nurses went on strike for the first time ever in the early 80’s. It was so traumatic for them to actually walk off and leave their patients. To read they refused to look after someone, actually going on strike, cos the patient was trans is just incredible.
I, like many, have had my share of negative reactions from people in public, usually rude young girls, (our natural enemy). It wasn’t pleasant but the sort of incidents reported in this article are staggering.
I knew of a hospital pathology department that changed its policy when a trans woman attended. The practice was for the staff to call for the patient by reading out the title and name on the form as written.
On one occasion, after asking for a ‘Mr’a young woman stood up. After this the staff all suggested dropping titles in future, just use surnames, to save the client’s embarrassment.

That must have been awful for you. I have had one occasion were I had to retrieve some clothes from the local St Vinnies. I even showed photos of me in the garments so they could identify them. They were amazingly courteous and helpful even though I did try and deflect the probably obvious fact, to them, the clothes were in fact mine they fell over themselves helping.

If anyone said anything rude like that to me, ‘Coles lowering their standards’ I would have reported them. Large organisations these days are very aware of peoples rights, they might not actually agree with them, but they do know they can be sued.

I have a stack of anti discrimination forms I have to fill out. Queensland is horrible!

I got assaulted and the bulldyke pigman that turned up when I reported it was a boisterous pig, who made a joke out of it. It was horrible.

My vilification is large, ongoing and spanning vast areas of Brisbane now. For me it’s not really young women but women my age and older. The young 20 year olds mostly like me. But they always have.

I have had older women stir up their children against me. It’s a horrible feeling having an aggressive 10 year old cavegirl death staring you with her chin up and thrust out.

I took to driving to other suburbs to just go for walks. I was literally followed in cars on 2 occasions by older women. Obviously concerned members of the community. Assholes. I literally have a mob trailing me all the time, through my life.

I don’t get issues from young girls.

I say feminists are our “natural enemy”. Followed by older women. You do realize that beyond 30 women become less “liberal” and more conservative? It’s a well documented statistic.

I think a lot of the young ones who have issue with it have crossdressing dads.

Whatever the case, at least the thought police have cowed men down into a little puddle of crap on the ground. So we don’t have to worry much about them bastards. Hahaha!

Dear Fiona
I’m sure you’re grievances seem insurmountable but aggression is no solution in most situations you should adopt the moral high ground. Don’t dwell on the bad things that happened yesterday look forward to the good things that could happen tomorrow most of us have had bad experiences but we don’t let them destroy us. Life helps those who help themselves. I’m sorry if this sounds trite but it’s true
Hugs Julie

Can’t we just vent?

There is no doubt that we, gender variant people, are the last frontier of LGBTI discrimination. I think the main reason is that, unlike other “Queer folk”, our status is usually very obvious, causing all manner of emotional reactions from observers. However, our situation is changing, albeit slowly.

Personally, I have found that as my confidence in who I am has increased, or perhaps as my care factor for what people think has decreased, I have more positive interactions and fewer negative ones. I think that when I was tentative, nervous and hypersensitive to criticism I was “fair game” for being abused, it being a sad fact of life that some people pick on those who appear weak.

Regards,
C