Yesterday, Healthcare Republic reported that former GPC negotiator Dr Stewart Drage has become a woman and will now be known as Michelle.
I'm sure that the decision to switch genders is not one that individuals make lightly. It is likely that many people will have reached this point after years of struggling with their identity. For those with a high profile within their profession or local community, such as Dr Drage, it must be additionally difficult, because of the extra scrutiny they will face.
The Gender Trust, the charity that supports those affected by gender identity issues, says estimates of prevalence of transsexualism vary from between 1 in 4,000 and 1 in 10,000 people. This is a significant number of people but, despite this, there is still a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation about gender dysphoria, and many members of the transgender community (transsexuals, transvestites and cross-dressers) face discrimination and even ridicule on a regular basis.
However, in spite of the challenges trans men and women face, particularly during the transition phase, for most people the relief of finally being ‘the right sex' must be profound.
And, while there is a lot of prejudice out there, people can also be amazingly supportive. A couple of years ago 60-year-old Miss Celia Macleod returned to work as a consultant gynaecologist after having a sex change.
Officials at the hospital where she worked had written to patients to tell them about her decision to become a woman and set up a telephone helpline in case they had any concerns. No one contacted the hospital. Instead, when she went public, Miss Macleod was inundated with letters of support, including a large number from her patients.
I sincerely hope Dr Drage receives the same reception from her patients and colleagues.
- More information about gender identity issues, including an introductory guide for GPs and other health professionals about the medical aspects of gender dysphoria, can be found on The Gender Trust's website.