It's #TDoR2020 and I want to talk about Corey, and more.

There's this thing where a trans person seeking healthcare must weigh, on one hand, the best healthcare you can get for whatever ails you, and on the other hand, whether or not your humanity is going to be respected.

And all too often you are choosing between "these people are the best to address my issue" and "these people will treat me as a person, respect my pronouns, understand my trauma." There is often NO OVERLAP between these.

This situation kills people.

#TDoR2020

I hear this from other trans people, I experience this myself, and I have discussed this with Corey. "This clinic is trans friendly but is not best about [insert disability/illness]," and you must choose one or the other.

#TDoR2020

If you go to the clinic that's not trans friendly but best for [your disability/illness/health concern], they won't necessarily treat you either, because they are unused to people like you, they might dismiss you, and/or further traumatize you.

Again: this kills.

#TDoR2020

We lost @TGStoneButch in August because of a manageable chronic condition which was well-known to their medical providers.
Corey made decisions like these constantly. These decisions do not necessarily have the right choice. Both can be bad.

#TDoR2020

The trans-friendly clinic might be struggling, and not having enough providers or have semi-qualified people because of funding and staffing issues, and they don't tell you, and your issue is flaring. And switching clinics is SO HARD when trans and... then it's August.

#TDoR2020

Or alternatively you go to the clinic with the best doctors for your issue, but they dismiss you, they think you need a therapist instead, they misgender you so much that calling them feels like torture, it takes forever to see the doc so you just refill your meds.

#TDoR2020

This is about Corey and not about Corey. This is about us. This is about those of us who remain, and get to see comments like "well I guess they should have taken better care of themself!" as if this has anything to do with that. That's how the system kills people #TDoR2020

So sometimes trans people are assaulted and killed on the street, and that is horrific and must stop. Sometimes trans people die alone in their rooms because the systems failed and failed and failed and that is horrific and must stop.

#TDoR2020

We are asking medical professionals to respect our identities. To be proactive in accepting and affirming our existence. To understand that MANY trans people come to medical encounters already deeply traumatized. To learn how to treat patients with medical trauma.

#TDoR2020

I hope this #TDoR2020 will be a day of listening and learning for all the many people who can make a difference in the lives of trans people. Doctors, nurses, medical receptionists, social workers, therapists, because too often there is a death by a thousand cuts

...and no one cut may be directly responsible, but the result is still the same. Nobody will go to jail, nobody will bear any responsibility. Nobody will learn anything.

This needs to change.

Thank you for reading.

#TDoR2020