Yesterday, I took the first step towards beginning hormonal replacement therapy. Specifically, I went to my registered clinical counselor and got him to agree to refer me to a General Practitioner who will in turn (if all goes according to plan) refer me to an endocrinologist, who will (again if everything goes according to plan) prescribe me my hormones…after a three month long waiting period.
I realize that this is a very serious matter, and I suspect that, from an insurance perspective, prescribing hormones to someone who isn’t transgendered is a significant mistake. But is it really necessary to make applicants jump through quite so many hoops? I know I’m hardly the first to suggest this, but I strongly suspect that these standards of care are designed more to reflect social disapproval of transsexuality in general than out of an medical necessity. It especially seems awkward in this day and age, when (I am told) that it is possible to easily acquire hormones through online pharmacies. I have no intention of going this route, mainly out of concern for my health, but if significant numbers of people are willing to do so, it seems like that could constitute a major public health problem.
