Trans Lifeline
Library:

Healthcare

Learn about HRT, WPATH,
and health care resources for trans folx.

Library: International Research Center for
Japanese Studies (Nichibunken)

HealthCare

WPATH & Informed Consent

 

WPATH

WPATH, or the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, is a worldwide organization that sets treatment guidelines for transition-related healthcare.

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Informed Consent

Informed consent is a model of treatment that was created and advocated for by transgender people.

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Mental Health

 

Mental Health Partners

If you’re not able to get in with a specific trans-friendly provider, it never hurts to ask if they can recommend another provider–there may be someone else at their clinic or in the community that they can refer you to. Just because a provider is not able to see you, does not mean that they’re unable to help point you in the right direction or the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, is a worldwide organization that sets treatment guidelines for transition-related healthcare. While some have critiqued WPATH in the past for requiring trans folks to…

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HRT

 

What is HRT?

HRT, or hormone replacement therapy (also referred to as gender-affirming hormone therapy), includes the introduction of a puberty blocker, feminizing hormones like estrogen/progesterone as well as testosterone blockers, or masculinizing hormones/testosterone.

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Masculinizing HRT

Testosterone helps to encourage the development of a more masculine appearance.

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Feminizing HRT

Feminizing hormone therapy involves the administration of anti-androgens, estrogen, and progesterone through pills, intramuscular (IM) injections, subcutaneous (SubQ) injections, transdermal (through the skin) patches, and/or topical gel or nasal spray.

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Puberty Blockers

Puberty blockers are a reversible option to pause the effects of estrogen or testosterone, and are only administered under the supervision of a trained physician, after getting parental support.

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Pediatric Endocrinologists & Clinics

 

How to Choose a Doctor

Finding trans-friendly medical care.

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Pediatric Endocrinologists

Explore our list of doctors from across the United States.

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Gender Clinics

Review gender clinics located throughout the United States.

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Surgeons

Review our list of gender affirming surgeons located throughout the United States.

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Surgical Procedures

 

Feminizing Surgical Procedures

Learn more about surgical procedures

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Masculinizing Surgical Procedures

Insurance

 

Navigating Insurance

Resources for navigating health insurance as a trans person.

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Binding

 

Binding

Binding is the practice of using compression to achieve a flatter or more masculine-looking chest. It’s crucial that you follow safe binding practices every time you bind–failure to do so may result in damage to your ribs, lungs, and future surgical results. When done correctly, binding can be safe to do for up to 8 hours-per-day. It’s essential that you bind responsibly–dysphoria can be brutal, but lung damage or broken ribs from irresponsible use is even worse.

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Tucking

 

Tucking

Tucking is the practice of using compression garments or gaffing tape and physical manipulation of the genitals to create a smoother or more feminine appearance in the underwear region. It’s crucial that you follow safe tucking practices every time you tuck to avoid injuring yourself.

When you’re tucking, urinating will not be possible, so it’s important that you relieve yourself before tucking. Restricting your water intake is…

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Menstration

 

Menstruation as an Afab-Trans Person

There isn’t one universal way that trans men, trans mascs, and nonbinary folks (or anyone else assigned female at birth) experience menstruation and menstrual cycles–and it’s okay if your feelings and thoughts about your relationship with this bodily function shift or fluctuate over time (or from month to month). For some folks, a period may not trigger much or any gender dysphoria. For others, it can trigger dysphoria and discomfort that ranges from mild to disabling. Some of the reasons that menstruation…

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Realistic Expectations Regarding Menstruation and Medical Transition

Even before someone accesses gender-related medical transition like HRT or surgery, periods can often be managed or reduced via hormonal birth control methods, like the pill. While most packs of birth control pills contain 3 weeks of hormone-containing pills and a week of placebo or iron pills for those who do want to control when and how often they experience menstruation, it’s possible to “skip” the placebo week by starting a new pack and continuing to take the hormonal pills to avoid menstruation entirely–you can ask your prescriber to ensure that your birth control prescription is written in a way that will result in 4 packs (12 “active” weeks, 4 placebo weeks) for a 3 month (12 week) supply, with instructions for the…

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Menstruation & Support

 

How to Support Your Afab Trans Person on His/Their Period

A period can be an uncomfortable part of anyone’s life, but it can trigger dysphoria that is especially difficult or disabling for some trans folks. Your friend/ loved one may be struggling with not only physical discomfort, but also the emotional impact of their body doing something that feels in conflict with their gender. Here are some tips to help you learn how to support your trans person who menstruates…

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Birth Control Emergency Contraception

Testosterone is not birth control, and ovulation and implantation can still occur even in folks who are amenorrheic. This means that even if you no longer experience periods, whether for a couple of months or several years, and you still have a uterus and ovaries, there is still a possibility of becoming pregnant if you engage in the kinds of sex that can result in a pregnancy: unprotected penetrative sexual intercourse with someone who produces sperm if you are a person who produces an egg. If you are a person who would not like to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy, birth control and emergency contraception are things that you should consider as an important aspect of…

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Other Health Concerns

 

Safer Sex

Know how to have safer sex as a trans person.

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STI/HIV Testing

Scheduling your testing or exam with a trans-competent provider like the ones available at most Planned Parenthood locations may make the experience more comfortable for you. Some providers who have not worked with many trans folks may not know about some of the special considerations that come with trans healthcare.

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Disclaimer: Information that is listed on this page should not be considered an endorsement for particular physicians nor medical advice. 

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