Science AMA Series: I’m Dr. Kate Greenberg of the University of
Rochester Medical Center, and I treat transgender youth and young adults
who are looking for medical transition. Ask me anything!
Abstract
Hi Reddit! I’m Dr. Kate Greenberg, assistant professor of adolescent
medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Here, I serve as
director of the Gender Health Services clinic, which provides services
and support for families, youth, and young adults who identify as
transgender or gender non-conforming. Transgender men and women have
existed throughout human history, but recently, Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne
Cox, and others have raised societal awareness of transgender people.
Growing up in a world where outward appearance and identity are so
closely intertwined can be difficult, and health professionals are
working to support transgender people as they seek to align their
physical selves with their sense of self. At our clinic, we offer
cross-gender hormone therapy, pubertal blockade, and social work
services. We also coordinate closely with urologists, endocrinologists,
voice therapists, surgeons, and mental health professionals. Hey all!
I’m here and answering questions. First, let me say that I’m pretty
impressed with what I’ve read so far on this AMA - folks are asking
really thoughtful questions and where there are challenges/corrections
to be made, doing so in a respectful and evidence-based fashion. Thanks
for being here and for being thoughtful when asking questions. One of my
mantras in attempting to discuss trans* medicine is to encourage
questions, no matter how basic or unaware, as long as they’re
respectful. I will use the phrase trans/trans folks/trans* people
throughout the discussion as shorthand for much more complex phenomena
around people’s sense of self, their bodies, and their identities. I’d
also like to say that I will provide citations and evidence where I can,
but will also admit where I’m not aware of much evidence or where
studies are ongoing. This is a neglected area of healthcare, and as I
tell parents and patients in my clinic, there’s a lot more that we don’t
know and still need to figure out. I’m a physician and hormone
prescriber, not a psychologist or mental health provider, so I’ll also
acknowledge where my expertise ends. Edit: Thanks to everyone for the
questions and responses. I will try to come back this evening to answer
more questions, and will certainly follow the comments that come in.
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