The war on trans people has been intensifying in recent years, with a wave of anti-trans legislation sweeping across the United States. Many states are passing laws that restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare, including hormone therapy and gender-confirming surgery. These laws can have devastating consequences for trans individuals, who may be unable to access the care they need to live authentically, comfortably, and trauma free.
Gender-affirming therapy, also known as gender-confirming therapy, is a crucial component of healthcare for many transgender individuals. This therapy can take many is designed to help trans individuals align their bodies and identities in a way that feels authentic and comfortable. However, not all trans individuals have access to gender-affirming therapy, and the consequences of this can be severe.
As Dr. Gabor Mate’ so eloquently notes in his best-seller, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture, humans have an innate need to both live true to their most authentic self and to be accepted for who they are. Failure to experience either authenticity or acceptance results in a traumatic split of the internal system. Maté believes that cultivating authenticity and acceptance can help individuals heal from trauma, overcome addiction, and improve their overall well-being.
One of the most significant consequences of not receiving gender-affirming therapy is this impact on mental health. Trans individuals who are unable to access the care they need may experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. This is due to the distress caused by a misalignment between their gender identity and their physical body which doesn’t allow them full authenticity. It is also due to societal stigma and discrimination. Suicide rates among transgender individuals are alarmingly high. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide attempts are 14 times higher among transgender individuals compared to the general population. The transgender community also experiences a disproportionately high murder rate compared to cisgender individuals and higher rates of physical violence.
Despite these horrifying statistics, the transgender community continues to be filled with bright, courageous, hopeful individuals daring to live their most authentic lives, heal their trauma, and show us all what it could mean to exist beyond binaries. It is via these relationships and teachings that I have grown to envision and understand what a freer nongendered world could look like for all of us. Jacoby Ballard, author, social justice educator and yoga teacher, has been one of my core teachers of the trans experience and the positive impact queer and trans liberation has on all of us.
Jacoby is deeply forgiving, kind, and a “call in” person who is helping other to learn to forgive through his dharma teachings and way of being. In our conversation on the latest episode of the Beyond Trauma podcast we dive into practices of forgiveness, easing anger, and accepting grief. It’s a powerful conversation and one which taught me what it means to be present, and willing to dare to assume the best in others. I hope you’ll take a listen HERE.
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