For many LGBTQ+ persons engaging in a gender transition, the headwinds of intolerance are a real obstacle. It can mean rejection from friends, family, and even community. All transgender persons struggle with this truth. For this reason, it takes courage to align one’s gender expression to their gender identity.

In my previous article, The LGBTQ Psychiatrist Educator (Article Available on Request), I discuss under what circumstances it may be appropriate to share one’s sexuality in the clinical learning environment. In a thoughtful follow-up Letter (also Available on Request), a “bisexual” medical student, and now doctor, noted that transgender persons who are expressing their gender identity don’t always have the luxury of selective disclosures. For this reason, transgender persons often face the greatest headwinds of intolerance.

She’s right!

Intolerance comes in many forms, both passive and active. The natural reaction to intolerance is to shirk away from it or to change one’s behavior to avoid it. For transgender persons, this could mean changing where they shop, moving to a different community, making a career shift, or even finding new friends. The most difficult choice faced by some transgender persons is whether to hide their gender expression, which could lead to significant dysphoria but protect them from threats of physical violence.

Transgender persons remain one of the most stigmatized, misunderstood, mislabeled, feared, and marginalized minority populations. As Dr. Benfield stated at the end of her letter, we “…should strive towards creating a safe, inclusive workplace for trans people, and commit to role modelling trans allyship in our professional and personal lives.”

Happy Pride Month!

References:

1. Agapoff JR. The LGBTQ psychiatrist educator. The clinical teacher. 2021;18(5):472-473. doi:10.1111/tct.13335

2. Benfield E. LGBTQ educators: an LGBTQ student’s response. The clinical teacher. 2021;18(3):314-314. doi:10.1111/tct.13349