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Affirming transgender care.


Transgender people hoping to begin their physical transition are often denied hormone therapy until they endure a lengthy psychological evaluation that proves they suffer from gender identity disorder identity disorder
n.
A disorder occurring in late adolescence and characterized by feelings of uncertainty and distress due to issues such as long-term goals, sexual orientation and behavior, morality, and religious identification.
. The process alienates some trans people, discouraging them from seeking basic medical attention.

That's why New York City's LGBT-focused Callen-Lorde Community Health Center has eliminated the usual evaluation process. Gal Mayer, MD, the center's medical director, says welcoming transgender clients means taking them at their word. "We don't put any burden of proof burden of proof n. the most important rule of evidence in the trial of civil (not criminal) cases. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff (the party bringing the lawsuit) to show by a "preponderance of evidence" or "weight of evidence" that all the facts necessary to win a judgment are probably true. on the patient," he explains. "Anyone who comes in and says 'I'm seeking hormonal care' will receive a prescription, as long as we don't think the hormones will do them harm."

Indeed, drugs are not prescribed indiscriminately. Patients meet with Callen-Lorde staff to discuss the ramifications of treatment, but those conversations are designed to make patients feel accepted and supported, Mayer says. "It's not just that we prescribe hormones," he says. "We know how to talk to transgender patients about their lives." And the word has spread. Callen-Lorde currently treats about 800 transgender people, some traveling all the way from Virginia and Pennsylvania.
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Copyright 2006, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Article Details
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Title Annotation:Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Author:Blankenship, Mark
Publication:The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine)
Article Type:Brief article
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Apr 11, 2006
Words:184
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