Livingston Manor, NY

I am a nurse practitioner and have been providing care to adolescents and young adults in New York State since 1989. The youth I work with are all HIV+ or at high risk for HIV infection. This includes many transgender and gender non-conforming youth, in addition to lesbian-, gay- and bisexual-identifying youth who do not identify as transgender. Because gender identity often precedes sexual orientation identity, transgender and gender-non conforming youth are significantly more likely to be victimized (verbally, psychologically, and physically) than gender conforming children and adolescents.

This victimization often occurs at home by family members, and explains the higher incidence of homelessness of transgender adolescents and young adults when compared to gender conforming youth. I am still seeing transgender youth who have depressive and anxiety disorders secondary to many years of being bullied and harassed by family, school peers and strangers on the streets and in the community. One male-to-female adolescent I currently work with is afraid of leaving her home because of fear of victimization.

Transgender youth have specific health care needs and rights which are often neglected or unknown by most health care providers. Ignorance of providers to the specialized health care needs of transgender persons often prevents transgender people from getting safe, quality transgender-affirming health care services. Transgender and gender non-conforming persons do not need more victimization from the health care system; they get enough from the world at large!

The New York State laws, by not explicitly protecting transgender, intersex and other gender non-conforming persons from discrimination, perpetuate the myth that being transgender is abnormal. Transgender children, adolescents and adults are not abnormal, but should be applauded and respected for being who they really are. Passing anti-discrimination laws will not prevent all victimization of transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming persons, but it's an important and powerful first step towards that goal.