@Goro @gonnif @gyngyn Thank you very much for all the advice. I've decided to increase my clinical volunteering at the psychiatric hospital to 102 hours by the time i apply in june and also gain at least 40 hours of shadowing by the time i apply. I think that with that increased clinical exposure, my odds of an acceptance will be significantly increased.
@aftomdhopeful Adcoms have never read about the abortion project, as it is new. I will be sure to be clear about it. the issue is that spaces in which abortions are provided as well as information about abortions are extremely woman-centric. testosterone is also not a particularly effective method of contraception for trans women with intact ovaries and uterus, especially early on during transition. young trans people also do not often benefit from appropriate and targeted sexual education. here is an example scenario from our resource pamphlet for healthcare providers to better illustrate the obstacles:
Scenario: Kit is fifteen and came out as trans three years ago. His periods stopped weeks ago, but he thought nothing of it. He didn’ t realize he was pregnant until a few days ago, when he fainted at school and was taken to the hospital. In the emergency room, he found out that he was 22 weeks pregnant. The nurse was shocked, and said as much.“Did you notice that your periods were gone? Do your partners always wear condoms? You are, after all, still a girl even if you dress like a boy. Being pregnant illustrates that. Only women get pregnant.” Kit needs an abortion but doesn’ t know how to access one. He didn’ t feel like he could ask the nurse. When he got home, his searched online and found nothing. It seems he will need to travel out of province because he’ s so far along.
Obstacle: Kit is like other trans youth, and is uneducated on his own reproductive capacities. He sees his lack of period as a good thing –he’ s a boy, and doesn’ t want a period. He feels judged by the nurse for not recognizing he was pregnant and his gender identity is dismissed. The nurse’ s perception of pregnancy and abortion is that these are experiences unique to women, as opposed to recognizing that these are experiences of female-assigned people and Kit can identify as male, a boy, and be pregnant. Kit is left feeling like going through with the pregnancy is his only option, and that it’ s his fault – if he was a girl, he would have known.
Recommendations:·Trans youth are frequently at a disadvantage when it comes to sexual and reproductive health. Primary care providers can educate their trans clients about their reproductive capacities and sexual health. Campaigns could be developed that reflect the experiences of trans youth. If Kit had received trans-specific sexual and reproductive education, he could have prevented his pregnancy, or been aware of his pregnancy earlier, and been able to make an informed decision about what to do.Health professionals working in abortion clinics and elsewhere need to recognize the diversity of trans experiences, and that pregnancy (abortion, lactation, menstruation, semen production, menopause, etc) are not unique to cisgender men and women. Trans people can be pregnant, breastfeed, produce sperm, menstruate and the like, without this experience undermining their gender identity. On the other hand, some trans people may feel discomfort because these experiences are so commonly understood as cisgender, and should be counselled against any shame or blame.
