Wonderful thoroughness

[I Am Paula]

The government of Ontario is being really thorough on changing my sex. So far they have been great, but OHIP, our provinces health plan may need an anatomy lesson, and a primer on SRS. For GG's this is deadly serious. For me, LOL.

[Jorja]

You might be able to overlook that one. :)

[sandra-leigh]

The part of the government that knows you did a gender change isn't talking to the part of the health department that sends out Cervical Screening calls. And I would say that's a good thing: it means that your private information about the gender change is protected and not sitting out there available to everyone.

[Rianna Humble]

You are a woman at the age when screening takes place. It is natural that a mailshot to women of that age range should include you.

[Megan Thomas]

I have to disagree Rianna. In the UK the NHS screening programme just sent me a letter saying a medical condition meant I was being excluded from the screening programme. The letter is sent to all appropriate women regardless of their gender history. The letter specifically said:

"We have been advised that your name should be removed from the list of women eligible for cervical screening. This is because your medical records indicate that you do not have,or no longer have a cervix, following a total abdominal hysterectomy. I am therefore writing to confirm you will no longer receive invitations to screening under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme."

That was sent shortly after my change of name was registered with my GP and a new, female marker, NHS number was issued. Whilst the OP doesn't fall under the UK NHS system it surely can't be much to expect or ask for the Canadian health service to operate in a similar way? After all, they must also deal with natal females who've had a hysterectomy too.

[Rianna Humble]

You are right, Megan, they can exclude people who have had a relevant medical procedure. When did you have the hysterectomy?

[I Am Paula]

Sandra-Leigh- Thank you, I had not looked at it that way. Ontario takes the privacy of it's trans citizens VERY seriously.

Megan Thomas- It's interesting that I only changed my name and sex designation with our healthcare system about two weeks ago. This was the first correspondence I have had with them. At the bottom of the letter is a phone number to have myself removed from the automated screening reminders system. I'm not sure I should let them know I'm trans, or just let them continue to think I'm a GG. I can't decide if this is a need to know issue.

Rianna- I understand that a computer somewhere saw my new sex, and automatically noticed that I had never had a pap smear, and was long past due. I am both flattered, and impressed by their thoroughness. My concern is that in typical governmental fashion, that revelation cost the taxpayers the equivalent of the price of a new car.

As a matter of interest to Canadians- When you change the sex designation on your Social Insurance, your tax information stops being a matter of public record, and goes to a different security level to keep curious eyes off it. We live in a wonderful country.

[mechamoose]

The government of Ontario is being really thorough on changing my sex. So far they have been great, but OHIP, our provinces health plan may need an anatomy lesson, and a primer on SRS. For GG's this is deadly serious. For me, LOL.

They sent it to you.. so they accept you as female.

Where is the down side?

<3

- mm

[I Am Paula]

There is no down side, hence the LOL. I thought it was funny.

[Megan Thomas]

When did you have the hysterectomy?

Rianna, I have never had a hysterectomy. They just used that reason as a default to exclude me from the screening programme as soon as the NHS were informed, presumably a standard practice?


At the bottom of the letter is a phone number to have myself removed from the automated screening reminders system. I'm not sure I should let them know I'm trans, or just let them continue to think I'm a GG.

Why not just tell them to remove you because you don't have a cervix? No need to mention being trans...

[Nigella]

My gender marker was changed well before SRS, infact 4 years before. Once that was done, each time I visited my GP a reminder came up for a smear test, they are carried out at our surgery. Not sure what my GP did, but she has stopped the reminders coming up :)

Again not long after I was invited for a mammogram, again standard practice for women of a certain age. This time I rang the NHS department, explained that I was TS, had just started HRT, therefore had no discernible breast growth, not a problem they say, this one is cancelled and you will be called forward when you are next due :)

[NavyM2F_WAM]

Maybe I overlooked something. What is the problem with the letter?

[I Am Paula]

Nothing per se. It is the Ontario Health Insurance program being very thorough. As soon as science advances to the point transwomen have a cervix, it will be very helpful.

[sandra-leigh]

Hypothetically, there could be someone with ambiguous genitalia could be assigned male at birth but had female reproductive organs, eventually went through the legal gender change procedure, and the letter would then be appropriate. ;-)