I’m Non-Binary: How Do I Educate My Mental Health Practitioner?
Do you identify as non-binary in your gender identity and wish your mental health practitioner understood more about your experience, needs, and perspective? Click on the video below for a bit of advice from a gender therapist as to how you can do this.
Resources mentioned:
Video: Can I Transition if I’m Non-Binary or Gender Fluid?
Non-binary resources on the ‘net (feel free to list others in the comments!):
neutrois.me
genderfork.com
genderqueer.tumblr.com
nonbinary.org
genderqueerid.com
Just released 9/21/15!
NON-BINARY TRANSITION WORKSHOP FOR MEDICAL AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, PART 1 (by Micah)
NON-BINARY TRANSITION WORKSHOP FOR MEDICAL AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, PART 2 (by Micah)
NON-BINARY TRANSITION WORKSHOP FOR MEDICAL AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, PART 3 (by Micah)
Do you have experience with this, as well as advice of your own to share? Please do so in the comments below!
Related posts:
Tools & Tips for Trans-Positive Collaboration Between Therapists & Clients
Trans Mental Health Concerns: An Interview with The BiCast
Mental Health Issues + Being Trans, Overcoming the Pain of Rejection (Gender Therapist Q&A)
Ask a Gender Therapist: Can I Transition if I’m Non-Binary or Genderfluid?
Danni
September 27, 2015 at 2:58 AMI have downloaded v7 of wpath document. I cannot see anywhere it says about non-binary care. Do you know where I should be looking/
Dara Hoffman-Fox
September 27, 2015 at 10:03 AMPages 4-5 discuss how those who are gender non-conforming (i.e. non-binary can fit under this) might want different treatment than those who have significant Gender Dysphoria (i.e. more of a binary approach) but that either is completely valid. It’s a theme that runs throughout the entire document. Page 8-10 addresses this again. Starting on Page 28 it describes what is and isn’t “required” for medical transition, and how gender non-conforming individuals are able to access these services as well. Hope that helps!
Danni
September 28, 2015 at 12:17 PMThat’s great thanks. I’m seeing the Doctor on Friday. Keep up the great work.
Nóra
April 28, 2016 at 4:21 AMI started netball training in my local town for ladies over 18, it has been running for over a year. You can see from my first line that I use the term ‘ladies’, which I use in my daily life. We have someone at our training who is genderfluid, which I have just found out. This person has been at our training from the beginning but not has taken grave offence at being referred to as a lady or women. I empathize with her but the other ladies at netball are walking on eggshells as they don’t want to offend her making our training uncomfortable. I explained to this person that no one is intentionally calling her any female pronoun to offend her, it’s what we are all used to. I’m very open to learning more about being gender fluid, but at the same time do all gender fluid people not accept that unfortunately for them this is what we like to be called. I want to educate myself more and be able to have a sensible conversation with this person without causing anymore offence. Thankyou
Dara Hoffman-Fox
April 29, 2016 at 10:31 AMI can appreciate your openness and interest in trying to help your teammate feel more comfortable. I believe it is about finding a balance between being respectful to the person’s wishes for how they do and don’t like being addressed, and then for that person to allow for a bit of time for others to adjust. Ideally words such as “ladies” would not be used, since it does assume that not only everyone is fine with being addressed as female, but that all of those females are fine with being addressed by such a feminine term. However as you said it is an ingrained part of your vocabulary, which can be difficult to switch away from. Letting the person know that you and the rest of the team respect them and would like to find a way to work through this together sounds like the best plan. Thanks for your question!