Comments on: Dr. Man’s office http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/adas-thoughts/dr-mans-office.htm Talking about Body Integrity Identity Disorder - Just another disability! Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:50:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Chloe http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/adas-thoughts/dr-mans-office.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16268 Chloe Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:18:35 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=913#comment-16268 I have had some horrendous experiences with health care professionals. What comes to mind is when I was trying to find out exactly what intersex condition(s) I had. In my early twenties I saw several physicians and a psychiatrist to try to sort this out. One of the physicians simply told me not to worry about it. Yeah, thanks a lot! I did find out some things about my condition, but at the expense of feeling utterly humiliated and made to feel like a circus freak. I was sufficiently traumatised by the experience that I refused to see any physicians for a decade afterwards. The psychiatrist was even worse. He said that since I seemed to have lesbian tendencies, that meant I was supposed to be male. Huh! Never mind the fact that I had boobs, periods, feminine hips, no facial hair, and a completely female gender identity. He wanted to reassign me as male based on my sexual orientation! I kid you not. I couldn't possibly make up something this ridiculous. This put me off mental health care professionals for a while too. I have since learnt to show such people the utter disrespect they deserve. (Sorry about the rant! I guess it still upsets me). Ada, I really admire your maturity for figuring out what you needed to do at fifteen, especially in the depths of a depression. It took me until my thirties to understand such things. Yes indeed, we are the consumer. Health care professionals should not be telling you what to do, who to be, or how you should be feeling. If they do, you can fire them. It is well worth finding someone who is respectful. Sean, spot on with your points! I have had some horrendous experiences with health care professionals. What comes to mind is when I was trying to find out exactly what intersex condition(s) I had. In my early twenties I saw several physicians and a psychiatrist to try to sort this out. One of the physicians simply told me not to worry about it. Yeah, thanks a lot! I did find out some things about my condition, but at the expense of feeling utterly humiliated and made to feel like a circus freak. I was sufficiently traumatised by the experience that I refused to see any physicians for a decade afterwards. The psychiatrist was even worse. He said that since I seemed to have lesbian tendencies, that meant I was supposed to be male. Huh! Never mind the fact that I had boobs, periods, feminine hips, no facial hair, and a completely female gender identity. He wanted to reassign me as male based on my sexual orientation! I kid you not. I couldn’t possibly make up something this ridiculous. This put me off mental health care professionals for a while too. I have since learnt to show such people the utter disrespect they deserve. (Sorry about the rant! I guess it still upsets me).

Ada, I really admire your maturity for figuring out what you needed to do at fifteen, especially in the depths of a depression. It took me until my thirties to understand such things. Yes indeed, we are the consumer. Health care professionals should not be telling you what to do, who to be, or how you should be feeling. If they do, you can fire them. It is well worth finding someone who is respectful.

Sean, spot on with your points!

]]> By: Ada http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/adas-thoughts/dr-mans-office.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16254 Ada Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:34:39 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=913#comment-16254 Excellent points, as always Sean! Excellent points, as always Sean!

]]> By: Sean http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/adas-thoughts/dr-mans-office.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16253 Sean Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:50:02 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=913#comment-16253 I look forward to hearing how things went for you, Suzy Sunshine ;) I think there are three keys to being successful in our exchanges with the medical community: 1- We have to pick the right person to talk to. 2- We have to be confident about ourselves. If we're uncertain and negative, chances are they'll pick up on that. 3- We have to be knowledgeable about BIID and be ready to educate the people we speak to. I look forward to hearing how things went for you, Suzy Sunshine ;)

I think there are three keys to being successful in our exchanges with the medical community:

1- We have to pick the right person to talk to.
2- We have to be confident about ourselves. If we’re uncertain and negative, chances are they’ll pick up on that.
3- We have to be knowledgeable about BIID and be ready to educate the people we speak to.

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