“Getting to know us...” The LGBT Excellence Centre Wales is a social enterprise and a charity that supports Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people and promotes equality, diversity and human rights through gathering and sharing information and good practice. We provide: Advice Mediation Advocacy
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In the following areas: Benefits ● Bullying ● Civil Partnerships Coming Out ● Discrimination ● Domestic Violence ● Employment ● Funding ● Gender Identity ● Hate Crime ● Health ● Homelessness ● Housing Immigration ● Legal Matters ● Relationships Sexuality ● Sexual Orientation ●Social Care ● Volunteering
Support Information and Advice LGBT Excellence Centre Provides an all-Wales helpline for sexual orientation and gender identity issues (www.ecwales.org.uk) 0800 023 2201
Gender Trust Supporting all those affected by gender identity issues (www.gendertrust.org.uk) Mind Helps people take control of their mental health. (www.mind.org.uk)
Unique UNIQUE is a voluntary organisation supporting trans-gendered people in North Wales and West Cheshire. (www.uniquetg.org.uk)
Samaritans Provides confidential, nonjudgmental emotional support 24 hours a day (www.samaritans.org)
Depend An organisation offering free, non-judgemental advice, information and support to all family members, spouses, partners and friends of transsexual people in the UK. (www.depend.org.uk)
Guidance
Beaumont Society An established transgendered support group with a support network in the UK (www.beaumontsociety.org. uk)
GIRES A wealth of information for trans people, their families and the professionals who care for them (www.gires.org.uk) Press for Change can advise on all gender identity matters (www.pfc.org.uk) Counselling Services LGBT Excellence Centre 0800 023 2201
Photography © LGBT Excellence Centre and Juliana Kammerlander
This leaflet is part of a series on gender identity produced by the LGBT Excellence Centre Wales with funding from Awards for All.
LGBT Excellence Centre Suite 1 & 2 376, Newport Road Cardiff CF23 9AE Freephone: 0800 023 2201 Web: www.ecwales.org.uk Email: info@ecwales.org.uk
Gender Identity, Health & Mental Health LGBT Excellence Centre Unleashing Wales’ Potential Empowering communities to flourish I n par tne rs hip w ith
All Wales Transgender Support Group
All trans people who wish to go through gender reassignment must deal with the medical profession. It is crucial that the GP and others support trans people and gain as much information as possible.
Trans-Forming Health and Mental Health With non specialist medical colleagues 84% believe gender identity issues should not be NHS funded*. All organisations should ensure staff receive training/workshops from specialists on discrimination. Dr Stuart Lorimer
A true experience
The Issues Due to the long waiting lists and lack of funding, people often turn to self medication, which can have detrimental effects.
The Law The Single Equality Act 2010 makes it clear that it is unlawful to discriminate on grounds of gender and gender reassignment.
The referral process is often long and confusing.
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 enables transsexual people to apply for 'gender recognition' and those born in the UK can obtain a new birth certificate.
There is always issues about ward placements. Any discrimination by other patients on wards is illegal and should be quickly addressed.
Gender recognition will mean that transsexual people must be treated fully as of their new sex for all legal purposes.
Trans people may be resistant in seeking help from health professionals due to discrimination suffered by other trans people.
There is a lack of counseling services for individuals and families
Health bodies should keep records up to date. FTM men should still be invited to attend cervix screening as well as breast screening unless they have had a mastectomy. Similarly MTF should attend breast screening if taking hormone treatment. MTF should also be checked for prostate cancer when in their 50s.
“We have been extremely fortunate in the care and support for our Trans youngster but we have been in a position to be able to benefit from a mix of local GP care and some private care from gender specialists. The most important things that we have felt in this whole process are that we are being given good, well-informed advice, we can take part fully in the discussions and decisions and finally that the timing is being set primarily by us. We hope there will be much more research and development in this field as this is very much needed”. A Parent
Suggested Reading
Guidance for GPs, other clinicians and health professionals on the care of gender variant people (www.gires.org.uk/dohpublications.php) Standards of care 6th version by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standard of Care for Gender Identity Disorders. Available on (www.wpath.org/publications_standards.cfm) Transgender EuroStudy: Legal Survey and Focus on the Transgender Experience of Health Care (www.pfc.org.uk/files/ILGA_report.pdf) Trans Research Review (www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/ trans_research_review_rep27.pdf)
Some good practice:
Health authorities need to publish better and clear information about the steps someone needs to take.
Trans people should not be addressed according to their birth sex - if in doubt, ask!
Counseling should be provided for individuals and families requesting support. Relevant information for those in the health profession should be made available to aid their service to trans people Training, Information and advice publications must come from accredited trans organisations and not simply downloaded from the internet, or by involving qualified professionals. All health, ambulance and ancillary staff should receive equality training and be made aware of the law with regard to discrimination (see Gender Identity and the Workplace leaflet)