sandra-leigh
06-18-2009, 10:55 PM
Well, I came out (as transgendered) to my doctor (GP) this morning; I've been going to him for about 5 years about my depression.
I wasn't planning to, but in an attempt to bump up my confidence, he was asking how I would introduce myself to penpals who didn't know anything about me; I kept trying to equivocate about it depending on the context, and when he was asking about why, I had the choice of either telling him to drop the topic (and be unable to explain why so), or of lying... or of illustrating why the context made a significant difference. As I feel that it is counter-productive to my treatment to lie to my doctor, I told him. (It's one of the first things I discussed with my therapists, but I hadn't ever revealed it to my GP.)
He wasn't offended or disapproving at all; he asked some obvious questions about how it affected my spouse, and mentioned in passing that it helped explain why I have felt isolated from a young age --- that although I did not consciously know myself, that my -brain- knew and has been conflicted. He wasn't supportive in the "Oh, isn't that wonderful, you've moved beyond traditional gender" sort of way, but he did pretty much accept it as matter-of-fact and as something that I should continue with as it is an inherent part of me.
And he pretty much dared me to wear a dress and wig and all to one of my visits to him, if that was how I felt about myself internally.... that part was a little on the strange side, I felt. e,g. he could have phrased it as something like "You've never worn a dress or so on to one of your visits. If you feel comfortable being out in public, then you are welcome to wear the clothes of your choice when you visit here." But instead it was... I dunno, more like a challenge to stop restraining myself and to be who I am.
He did say that the life of a transgendered person is not easy, and did say that there is a social stigma associated with it, which was a bit of a cautionary note... but the overall tone was to be me and do the things that make me happy.
I wasn't planning to, but in an attempt to bump up my confidence, he was asking how I would introduce myself to penpals who didn't know anything about me; I kept trying to equivocate about it depending on the context, and when he was asking about why, I had the choice of either telling him to drop the topic (and be unable to explain why so), or of lying... or of illustrating why the context made a significant difference. As I feel that it is counter-productive to my treatment to lie to my doctor, I told him. (It's one of the first things I discussed with my therapists, but I hadn't ever revealed it to my GP.)
He wasn't offended or disapproving at all; he asked some obvious questions about how it affected my spouse, and mentioned in passing that it helped explain why I have felt isolated from a young age --- that although I did not consciously know myself, that my -brain- knew and has been conflicted. He wasn't supportive in the "Oh, isn't that wonderful, you've moved beyond traditional gender" sort of way, but he did pretty much accept it as matter-of-fact and as something that I should continue with as it is an inherent part of me.
And he pretty much dared me to wear a dress and wig and all to one of my visits to him, if that was how I felt about myself internally.... that part was a little on the strange side, I felt. e,g. he could have phrased it as something like "You've never worn a dress or so on to one of your visits. If you feel comfortable being out in public, then you are welcome to wear the clothes of your choice when you visit here." But instead it was... I dunno, more like a challenge to stop restraining myself and to be who I am.
He did say that the life of a transgendered person is not easy, and did say that there is a social stigma associated with it, which was a bit of a cautionary note... but the overall tone was to be me and do the things that make me happy.