The Equality Authority today launched its report on ‘Access to Health Services for Transexual People’ The report highlights the underdeveloped nature of the health treatment and supports available to transexual people.
The report is unique in the Irish context. It explores for the first time the perspectives of transexual people on their access to health services. It examines policy and provisions in the health sector in providing treatment and support to transexual people.
Transexual people are part of a wider transgender community. They experience an overwhelming desire to permanently fulfil their lives as members of the opposite sex and for this to be facilitated through a range of treatments. They have identified the importance of a range of services along a service path that includes psychiatric assessments, hormonal therapy and surgical interventions alongside non medical services, such as speech therapy and electrolysis.
Speaking at the launch Niall Crowley, CEO of the Equality Authority, stated that “the current legal situation of transexual people reflects the inequality they experience and the failure to recognise the diversity this group brings to Irish society. In Ireland there is no provision allowing for transexual people to be officially recognised in the gender in which they identify. As a consequence transexual people do not have a right to marry in their adopted gender or to change their birth certificates”.
The report found that:-
- policy and practice around meeting the health needs of transexual people is underdeveloped. Most health boards contacted tended to focus on access to genital reassignment surgery abroad for which transexual people could apply for funding rather than any focus on the comprehensive service path necessary;
- health boards did refer to their provisions of general mental health and psychiatric services which are available to transexual people. However they did not specify whether these general services have expertise in relation to the needs of transexual people or whether there were procedures for onward referral to specialised services; and
- the small number of health service providers identified with an expertise in this area confirmed the limited developments in policy and practice around the health needs of transexual people. They highlighted the need for professional training in this area for psychiatrists and GPs, for linkages to reputable gender clinics abroad and for the development of quality standards and procedures for treatment of transexual people.
Niall Crowley highlighted that “the research is clear about the serious and damaging impact of this situation on transexual people. It is a situation that leads to psychological distress, anxiety and even a risk of suicide. It is a situation that requires urgent change”.
Recommendations made in the report include that:-
- the Department of Health and Children should develop a formal policy on transexualism and develop standards of care and procedures for treatment of transexual people;
- the Department of Health and Children should engage in a partnership with transexual people in developing such policies, standards and procedures;
- the relevant professional bodies should make provision for the professional development and training of their members on these issues; and
- health service providers should review their policies and practices in relation to transexual people to ensure there is no discrimination under the Equal Status Acts and to promote equality for transexual people.
There is a dearth of knowledge and understanding concerning the experience and situation of transsexual people. It is important to note that transsexualism is not transvestitism or cross dressing, nor is it an orientation towards people of the same sex. Transexual people have had to endure mockery, derision and abuse on the basis of their condition. It is hoped that this report will contribute to a new understanding of transsexual people and a new status and recognition for them.
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