For me, being in hospital is scary enough, without fearing assault from my fellow patients, sexual or otherwise. Recently I was close to being admitted and the receiving ward was mixed gender. I was very anxious that I might have to spend even a small amount of time in this mixed ward.
Today I read 'I Can't Afford to Get Sick', from Leslie Feinberg's book, Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink and Blue. Yes, this is a rant about the costs of health care in the USA, but it also protests the treatment received by Transpersons when they enter the US health care system.
Feinberg reveals:
"When my fever first spiked, I did not have a doctor to call. As a transgender adult, I had only sought treatment in life-and-death situations. Moments when I was weakened and scared because of illness were times I least relished a stranger examining my body; I felt vulnerable to potential hostility."
As an obese person I can relate to this. I too find physical examinations, especially gynaecological ones, incredibly intimidating, and I am always trepidatious that I will be ridiculed or spoken down to by the staff attending me. Sometimes this has been the case, my fears are the children of experience.
Feinberg asserts that:
"...prejudice and hatred nearly killed me because I didn't fit into the rigid female or male ward system."
Sie adds that even well-meaning medical staff sometimes get it wrong because they are ignorant of the past experiences which may have caused their trans patients to protect their gender identity when being admitted. Sie also tells us that birth gender is still used to determine which ward trans patients are placed on, however inappropriate that is. Frankly, it sucks. That there is no nice clear way to resolve the issue is sad; I cannot accept Feinberg's suggestion of assigning people to wards based on what ails them as being a better alternative, unfortunately, because I would still be afraid of having to sleep in a mixed ward. Hell, I'm afraid of sleeping with strangers, whatever gender they are because, contrary to popular belief, it's not just men who sexually or physically assault women, and it's not just women who are subjected to such assaults either.
If you think you know a solution, please share!
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