Finally, there is a spot to check for us on medical paperwork.

[jennifer24]

Maybe I am just behind in times a little (aint been to Dr in almost 2 years) but had to fill out all new paperwork and noticed on there that under Gender it had 3 boxes.
1-Male
2-Female
3 Tg
Whoppie, bout time, guess they finally had to add that one by law, goes to show that we are growing in numbers and there will be more changes to come(hopefully)
Just was glad to see it and yes I gladly checked that box.

[Shapeshiffter]

That's really kool.

Brighid

[Aprilrain]

I'd check the female box since that is what I am.

[ZosKiaCultusC7]

I'd check the female box since that is what I am.

I agree. I prefer F over TG. Even though I could be classified as trans, I identify as female, not as trans.

[Eileen]

I would also check the female box. I am a female who had GCS (Gender Corrective Surgery).

[LeaP]

Trans is a relativism, a point of view, not an identity. Maybe "other" with a place to write something in would do it. Or maybe each option should have yes and no checkboxes and they should allow you to check off as many as you want. How about chromosomal, genital, and intersexed boxes?

Or maybe they should just leave it off.

[jennifer24]

I agree. I prefer F over TG. Even though I could be classified as trans, I identify as female, not as trans.

I would check the F box too, as that is what I identify with too only thing is they might think you have alrealy had the surgery, so hopefully 1 day I can check that box but for now TG is ok.
I do agree though that they should be more options on gender. or a box to explain yourself.

[ZosKiaCultusC7]

I would check the F box too, as that is what I identify with too only thing is they might think you have alrealy had the surgery, so hopefully 1 day I can check that box but for now TG is ok.
I do agree though that they should be more options on gender. or a box to explain yourself.

This makes sense but I think it's a bit of a grey area since gender is really a social construct.

[Bree-asaurus]

This makes sense but I think it's a bit of a grey area since gender is really a social construct.

Yeah... we're basically stuck with what society has defined for us.

But I can legally check the F box!!! I just have to add a few comments when I see the doc in person ;)

"Yeah, I'm female, but....."

[Rianna Humble]

Maybe I am just behind in times a little (aint been to Dr in almost 2 years) but had to fill out all new paperwork and noticed on there that under Gender it had 3 boxes.
1-Male
2-Female
3 Tg


I guess that might suit someone who is a transgenderist rather than someone like me who is in transition. That said, being recognised as a woman by my doctor occasionally throws up interesting situations with the lab that analyses my blood tests (my T level is abnormally high unless you take account of where I am in my transition). My Gender clinician takes a different approach by asking the lab to score me as if I were male so they will probably flag up abnormal E levels (I hope).


This makes sense but I think it's a bit of a grey area since gender is really a social construct.

If gender is merely a social construct, why did I grow up knowing that my body was wrong? Why did I cry myself to sleep at the age of eight every night wishing I could wake up as the girl I knew myself to be? And why could I never envisage myself as a husband despite being deeply in love with a wonderful woman who unfortunately was heterosexual?

[ZosKiaCultusC7]

If gender is merely a social construct, why did I grow up knowing that my body was wrong? Why did I cry myself to sleep at the age of eight every night wishing I could wake up as the girl I knew myself to be? And why could I never envisage myself as a husband despite being deeply in love with a wonderful woman who unfortunately was heterosexual?

Gender is a social construct, biological sex is not.

[Rianna Humble]

Why quote me if you are going to totally ignore what I said? Gender and biological sex are only linked for cisgenders.

I have a definite gender which is not a social construct. You have not offered any basis for your repeated sophistry.

[Bree-asaurus]

Gender is a social construct, biological sex is not.

My previous agreement was apparently based on me misunderstanding you. Saying that sex and gender are binary and always linked is bull... I agree. But there is a definite male and female gender and a definite male and female sex. For most people, those link up. For some people, their gender and/or sex are somewhere between the two and for some people, the gender and the sex to not properly align.

If you feel like you don't have a gender and can be male or female or whatever, that's just you... not most people and definitely not me.

If I don't have a gender, then why is it that being born male doesn't fit me and why did I choose the very difficult path of transition? Surely if I have no gender, I could have just chosen to be male and be happy with that...


Gender and biological sex are only linked for cisgenders.

I have a definite gender which is not a social construct.

I agree...

We constructed our social definitions based on what is the norm. For most people, gender and sex align. There are people in between, but they are in the minority.

[ZosKiaCultusC7]

Why quote me if you are going to totally ignore what I said? Gender and biological sex are only linked for cisgenders.

I have a definite gender which is not a social construct. You have not offered any basis for your repeated sophistry.

I didn't mean to ignore what you said and I'm sorry if I misinterpreted what you meant by your previous post. However, I do think that you're misinterpreting what I posted. I was making a general statement and I don't see where I stated that gender and biological sex are linked; I actually was implying the opposite. My original comment about gender being a social construct was in response to a comment about how it may be assumed that someone has had surgery if they identify as female in terms of gender but was born male (I fall within this scope on a pre-op basis). In other words, I was stating that someone should NOT have to have surgery in order to select F under gender since gender is a social construct. My comment to you was really stating that dysphoria can exist with being the wrong gender AND the wrong physical sex.

To reiterate, I was not implying that gender and biological sex are linked: I was implying that it's bullshit that someone who may not have had SRS but identifies as female (in terms of gender) would have to pick TG, because gender is not defined by physical sex.


"Sex" refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women.

"Gender" refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.
Source: http://www.who.int/gender/whatisgender/en/

[Sandra1746]

Personally I would check Transgender. The point of medical forms is to provide the most information to the provider. If you identify as TG, check that box. Otherwise check another one. In the exam you will have a chance, hopefully, to explain yourself.

A happy TG person,
Sandra1746

[jillleanne]

Maybe I am just behind in times a little (aint been to Dr in almost 2 years) but had to fill out all new paperwork and noticed on there that under Gender it had 3 boxes.
1-Male
2-Female
3 Tg
Whoppie, bout time, guess they finally had to add that one by law, goes to show that we are growing in numbers and there will be more changes to come(hopefully)
Just was glad to see it and yes I gladly checked that box.

That is a giant step forward, agreed. Now just add a 4th box, " TS/INTER." and we got everyone.

[emmicd]

interesting post as i have thought about this in filling out medical forms. i have recently started checking the female box for gender because that is how i identify. on the bottom of the page i also state that i am born male but i identify as female. my paperwork is submitted for my therapy sessions and my diagnostic code my therapist uses is for transsexual, heterosexual history.

emmi

[Starling]

If you were born and then left alone to grow up outside of human contact, you'd have a set of sex organs but no concept of what they "meant." So in that sense, gender is a social construct; but for real people gender is practically the air we breathe from the time color-coded cigars are handed out. I didn't know precisely why I wanted a tea set for my fourth birthday, or why my parents were so reluctant to give me one, but I actively longed as Rianna did to be one of the girls.

The first time I put on a dress and painted my nails at ten or so, I was flooded with a powerful sense of rightness. It was entirely visceral, and until I was able to put a name to what I somehow knew to be a forbidden feeling, I was fundamentally miserable--able to cope quite well, but leading a joyless existence. Now at least I know I am someone, rather than no-one.

So far, we haven't learned enough about the neuro- or psycho-physiology of gender to be able to explain its essentiality. It's obviously propelled by sex, but in a given individual how is its vector determined? I believe it's innate; but even if learned, it's irreversibly imbedded.

:) Lallie

[Bree-asaurus]

If you were born and then left alone to grow up outside of human contact, you'd have a set of sex organs but no concept of what they "meant." So in that sense, gender is a social construct;

Okay... so when I was younger, and never socialized with anyone about genitalia, had never seen anyone else's genitalia, or porn or anything like that... how would I be able to look down at what I had and feel like it didn't belong there? Why would it disgust me when I hit puberty? I was a pretty naive and sheltered child... It took porn AFTER I hit puberty to even really know what a girl had down there. How is THAT a social construct?

Surely if gender WAS purely a social construct, I wouldn't care what I have downstairs until I learned about it through porn, talking with friends and relationships...

[Starling]

Bree, why did you ignore the rest of my post? You certainly didn't grow up "outside of human contact."

:) Lallie

[Bree-asaurus]

Bree, why did you ignore the rest of my post? You certainly didn't grow up "outside of human contact."

:) Lallie

I didn't ignore the rest of your post. The rest of your post isn't relevant. I quoted what I was responding to.

Learned gender roles are different from gender. If gender is totally learned, and is purely nurture (no nature), then why if I am brought up as a boy, would I think I am a girl? You say "gender is a social construct" but then go on to say "real gender is what makes you want to be a girl" (paraphrasing)... that just doesn't make sense to me at all. I have the same interests and hobbies I had when I was pretending to be a boy. I am quite the tom-boy actually. Nothing about my life is super feminine. Girls toys are lame... I still like the boy toys I grew up with. So what is this "true gender" you talk about?

You're expressing your opinion just as I am expressing mine. Mine just happens to be more on par with current research while yours is using nonexistent proof from an example situation that doesn't exist.

[LeaP]

interesting post as i have thought about this in filling out medical forms. i have recently started checking the female box for gender because that is how i identify. on the bottom of the page i also state that i am born male but i identify as female. my paperwork is submitted for my therapy sessions and my diagnostic code my therapist uses is for transsexual, heterosexual history.

emmi

That sounds like an excellent way to eliminate any ambiguity over coverage ...

I hope you have a lot of cash.

[Julia_in_Pa]

Emmi,

Did you read your insurance companies coverage handbook thoroughly?
One therapist made the mistake of billing my sessions under the transsexual designator and was subsequently denied payment by my health insurance plan.
Because of that occurrence I was forced to change therapists in order to have my insurance cover my sessions.

Emmi, please please please stop outing yourself on paperwork until you have an iron clad verbal understanding and agreement with your doctor and therapist that they will not use ICD coding that will out you to your insurance company!!!!!!


What Lea stated in her post is correct. If your employee sponsored health insurance policy is like the overwhelming majority of those issued here in the U.S. and you have been outing yourself you are leaving yourself wide open for full denial of payment for care rendered due to your doctor and therapist using ICD coding labeling you as transsexual.
There are times to out yourself , this was not one of those times Emmi.


interesting post as i have thought about this in filling out medical forms. i have recently started checking the female box for gender because that is how i identify. on the bottom of the page i also state that i am born male but i identify as female. my paperwork is submitted for my therapy sessions and my diagnostic code my therapist uses is for transsexual, heterosexual history.

emmi

[Bree-asaurus]

Emmi,

Did you read your insurance companies coverage handbook thoroughly?
One therapist made the mistake of billing my sessions under the transsexual designator and was subsequently denied payment by my health insurance plan.
Because of that occurrence I was forced to change therapists in order to have my insurance cover my sessions.

Emmi, please please please stop outing yourself on paperwork until you have an iron clad verbal understanding and agreement with your doctor and therapist that they will not use ICD coding that will out you to your insurance company!!!!!!


What Lea stated in her post is correct. If your employee sponsored health insurance policy is like the overwhelming majority of those issued here in the U.S. and you have been outing yourself you are leaving yourself wide open for full denial of payment for care rendered due to your doctor and therapist using ICD coding labeling you as transsexual.
There are times to out yourself , this was not one of those times Emmi.

Related question... I'm going through some odds and ends from my name/gender change last year and one thing I haven't changed is my insurance... any advice on what to do here? If I tell them to change my name and gender, is that basically telling them to drop me or deny me coverage?

[Julia_in_Pa]

Bree,

If this is the same insurance that you have had with a male designator and your policy excludes transsexual care it would be advisable to continue as you have been that is of course unless full SRS is happening then legally they must accept you as female from that point forward.

[Bree-asaurus]

Bree,

If this is the same insurance that you have had with a male designator and your policy excludes transsexual care it would be advisable to continue as you have been that is of course unless full SRS is happening then legally they must accept you as female from that point forward.

I'm with Humana-One... I don't know how they are, but that's why I haven't done anything so far... I'm afraid of getting dropped...

hurray... so I'm still Brian if I have to go to the doctor, pick up prescriptions or if I have to go to the hospital... %^$%^*&$%^#%!!!!!!!

[Jmichelle60]

How funny that this topic came up. Just last week while giving blood with the American Red Cross, one of the questions I was asked was "What's your gender?"

[Eryn]

...Or maybe they should just leave it off.

This is, by far, the best solution. Considering that designating oneself as TG is dangerous if the political winds change we should be pushing to have the collection of gender information removed from the forms, not have additional gender designations added. In the short term it could get medical benefits denied, in the long term it could be fatal.

Think of the people who identified themselves as Jewish or homosexual in 1930s Germany. Did they consider that a simple check mark would result in their deaths?

[Starling]

...The rest of your post isn't relevant...You're expressing your opinion just as I am expressing mine. Mine just happens to be more on par with current research while yours is using nonexistent proof from an example situation that doesn't exist.

I was responding to ZosKiaCultusC7's saying gender was a social construct, by the use of an hypothetical case--"an example situation that doesn't exist," as you say--to preface my statement that gender in real life is something much more complex. I didn't use the term "real gender," and I certainly didn't say anything like "real gender is what makes you want to be a girl."

So by all means, Bree, disagree with me; but please disagree with what I actually said.

:) Lallie

[MC-lite]

When I fill out medical paperwork, I leave the "Sex/Gender" field blank, just as I would do in that case. When the medical secretary tells me that the gender field is blank, I show her my drivers licence (which is female) and my Medicare card (which is male) and ask Her "Which should I put down?" At that point, I've clocked myself out, and I have to explain that I'm a TS.

IMHO, it serves no good purpose.

[Bree-asaurus]

I was responding to ZosKiaCultusC7's saying gender was a social construct, by the use of an hypothetical case--"an example situation that doesn't exist," as you say--to preface my statement that gender in real life is something much more complex. I didn't use the term "real gender," and I certainly didn't say anything like "real gender is what makes you want to be a girl."

So by all means, Bree, disagree with me; but please disagree with what I actually said.

:) Lallie

LOL... well that wasn't very clear from your post... you never said you were referring to her post and didn't quote her. So we might be on the same page then... but that was not clear from your post at all!

[Starling]

...So we might be on the same page then...

I'm pretty sure we are.

:) Lallie

[Bree-asaurus]

I'm pretty sure we are.

:) Lallie

Well.... umm... GRRR!!!! I DISAGREE!!! :D

[Jorja]

Well.... umm... GRRR!!!! I DISAGREE!!! :D

You can only disagree on Mondays. :)

[Kaitlyn Michele]

The health care system is set up differently for men and women...checking the box tg may have unknown impacts on getting insurance and the best health care..

i am in the system as female..i get mammagrams and blood tests that measure my estrogen..i get to test my blood often because of HRT..

however, i paid out of pocket for my psa...women aren't insured for psa tests..maybe some insurance covers psa for ts women??

i also had some recent heart arrythmias that were scary...the insurance denied a nuclear stress test 3 times because i was female..if i was male, I would be considered much higher risk..

My heart doc knows all, and asked me if i wanted to go to the mat and share my past,,,he said he honestly didn't know if me being hormonally female reduced my risk...
We did some more tests and he added some extra symptoms are resubmitted last week..for now, i'm not telling insurance anything..but my doctor is with me...

The doctors office is not the best place to be stealth.
I tell my doctors everything and let the chips fall..

[Starling]

Perhaps instead of gender one's chart should just have a box for "Prostate Yes/No."

:) Lallie