Anti-Trans Health Care Discrimination Already Happens Here: Stefi’s Story
by Cerys Beckwith
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new regulation that would encourage hospitals, doctors, and other health care workers to discriminate against anyone they don’t want to treat — including trans patients.
HHS claims that under its guidelines, providers could turn trans people away and deny them access to basic health services and transition-related care. These regulations would violate federal law and hurt transgender patients, as well as people who need reproductive health care, survivors of assault and sexual violence, and many others.
We know that transgender people are already experiencing discrimination in health care. We will be sharing stories and encouraging you to share yours to let HHS know the impact of bad health care laws.
If you would like to step up and tell your story, send in your comments by March 27.
Stefi’s Story
Stefi Honey’s story is unfortunately all-too similar to that of many other trans people across the country. Stefi is a transgender woman who sought hormone replacement therapy in her home state of Florida last fall.
When visiting her primary care physician (PCP), with whom she had previously had a good relationship, Stefi asked for help with physically transitioning. The doctor laughed at her, as did nursing staff and other patients in the office. The doctor declined Stefi’s request, saying that she was not comfortable with Stefi’s decision to transition.
Feeling humiliated, Stefi searched for another doctor, abandoning a five-year relationship with her PCP to find a new provider to assist her with her medical transition.
Even without the proposed HHS regulations, Stefi has experienced discriminatory treatment by providers who placed their moral judgment over patient needs. Stefi was subjected to ridicule, embarrassment, and frustration throughout her journey with the health care system in Florida. To access the appropriate health care, Stefi had to sacrifice unnecessary time, energy, and money.
With the help of an Orlando-based LGBTQ center, Stefi was finally able to find a doctor who would treat her, but she worries that the trans community will struggle even more to find necessary care if HHS encourages providers to discriminate.
Stefi emphasizes that these new regulations are discriminatory and says that “equal rights should be equal rights for everybody,” especially within the health care system.
If you want to stop the Trump/Pence administration from passing regulations that would legalize situations like Stefi’s, send your comments to HHS by March 27. Let them know why you oppose this rule and how they will negatively impact the trans community.
Cerys Beckwith was an undergraduate intern at NCTE.
