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Contents

What would you like us to know about your experience accessing reproductive healthcare?

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Asian: Because of gender dysphoria and previous medical trauma, I have been temporarily putting off getting regular sexual and reproductive care at the moment.
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American Indian or Native American Asian Black or African American Latinx White: Being trans and non-binary can be a huge barrier to getting culturally and identity/body compentent care for my health issues typically associated with women. and all too often my disabilities are seen as a a barrier to treating me for unrelated health issues, causing me to only get sicker & have compounding health problems build on each other.
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Latinx: Could be to expensive to access
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American Indian or Native American Latinx: Doctors lack knowledge about what I'm looking for: non-hormonal birth control. I've had to educate myself and my doctors about what I found and need e.g. Kaiser reimbursement for biometric tracking birth control app tracker and prescription for a female diaphragm. I was also judged for not wanting to take hormonal birth control without the doctor offering any medical advice of actions I could take. I also have medical trauma due to an extremely painful IUD insertion when I was younger. I overprepare and experience medical anxiety for any reproductive-related tests. It makes a difference the way that I communicate with a doctor.
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Black or African American Latinx: Drs need to take sexual and reproductive health care more seriously. Stop blaming it on cramps or our periods!
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Latinx White: finding actual non women's health places that aren't run by old yt women is almost impossible, let alone covered by insurance. finding ppl that recognize these types of appointments might be harder for non gender conforming ppl or neurodivergent ppl, also basically impossible.
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Latinx: Honest, I don’t access this healthcare although I should because I have multiple sexual partners. I’m poly, brown and “visibly” queer. I just don’t feel comfy with any pcp I’ve had here in Pdx.
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American Indian or Native American Black or African American: Huge lack of knowledge on gender affrrming care. Lack of access and barriers in place to prevent me accessing reproductive care. Gaslighting by reproductive doctor.
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Latinx: I’m happy to have OHP to help with accessibility
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Asian White: I access appointments with the gender care clinic virtually which makes accessing care much more accessible. If I had to go in person for check ins it would be a lot more problematic because I would have to take time off work.
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Latinx: I would like to acknowledge the great accessibility of planned parenthood where i was able to get an IUD for free
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Asian: I wish there was more help from the Consulate of Japan in Portland about how to navigate the local medical system in Portland. I want more personalized, vetted information on where to go, which doctors to see. I'd like to see BIPOC (especially Asian) female doctors who have experiences with Asian immigrants in Portland for my sexual and reproductive care. Luckily, I have found a BIPOC female naturopath in Portland and she is going to test my sexual hormones, but I am still not sure when I can get sexual and reproductive routine exams. *I am a voluntary immigrant who came here to get married with my American husband.
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Asian: I am not sexually active so a lot does not apply but as far as I know my insurance and pcp covers STI testing and could cover the topic of I asked.
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Asian: I don't know where to get free condoms, pregnancy tests or plan b contraceptives in my area.
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Asian Black or African American White: I avoid sexual and reproductive care due to sexual trauma.
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Asian Latinx: I go to the Gender care clinic at Kaiser Interstate Medical Center. I have OHP. I've always gotten the care that I've requested from them. My PHP is queer and he's never made me feel fearful of going to him with concerns.
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Asian White: I have access to incredible fertility and endometriosis providers in the portland area. the biggest barrier is lack of insurance coverage for IVF. I am an excellent candidate for IVF and have no other options due to tubal endometriosis. i'm relatively young and have a great egg count, all my other numbers are great. all i need is coverage for IVF to be able to grow our queer family in the way my wife and I want to. IUI and other methods are not an option for us. I wish Oregon mandated this coverage for queer families. the other issue is long wait times for my OBGYN who is amazing but it's so hard to get in to see her. lastly, it took way too long to get diagnosed with endo. i saw multiple providers who did not take my pain seriously.
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Latinx: I have an undiagnosed condition in my reproductive organs, that doctors and other providers haven't been able to figure out. but only ever reffer me to minimal testing/ screenings and after they "cant tell" whats wrong they don't ever go searching for deeper avenues of testing. it feels like all i get is a, I cant tell whats wrong with you, a shrug and a let us know if it gets worse. it feels as since im not dying i dont get to know whats wrong with my uterus.
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Black or African American: I have found that online resources have been super helpful in finding affordable and accessible care options.
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Black or African American: I have had amazing experiences with my healthcare provider, who listens and respects my choices.
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Latinx: I have not had access to sexual and reproductive health services. I believe it’s important to make these services more available and accessible, especially for people who are new to the country or unfamiliar with the healthcare system.
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Asian: I've had a difficult time getting HRT due to financial restraints and sometimes chronic homelessness.
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Black or African American White: I haven't had any experience in Oregon yet. In Michigan all of my healthcare was covered. I just got on OHP and I'm hoping everything here is covered
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Latinx: I only currently receive HRT and reproductive health does not apply to me as I'm not sexually active, but I experience many complications in the health world due to having Long COVID
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Asian White: I only decide to get care when i really need it and when i know it's safe, after word of mouth referral and reading reviews. Keeping myself safe is most important but also means long wait times for appointments
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Latinx: I started hormone therapy here in Oregon and the process was much easier than I anticipated, it wasn’t full of barriers or judgement just a medical professional who was helping me get what I need
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Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: I struggle with my insurance because it’s through work, and it won’t cover my HRT because I haven’t seen a therapist continuously for over a year about my gender identity. So I’m paying for T out of pocket, and it’s a lot of money. Same with the labs that need to be done to make sure I’m safe.
Line 30
Latinx White: I'm a trans advocate and educator who works in healthcare, so I admit that my access and understanding of insurance, medical care, and community resources is higher than most. I also moved to OR from OK, so I'm used to navigating much *much* worse systems for gender, sexual, and reproductive healthcare. In comparison, Portland seems like a walk in the park
Line 31
Black or African American: I think the questions have covered this pretty thoroughly, but I wanted to state in my own words that a huge barrier for me accessing any health services is finding this mysterious and elusive combination of healthcare providers who move through the world similar enough to me that I don’t have to catch them up so to speak. Often it’s I found a cool queer doctor but they’re white, I found a cool therapist but they’re white and young. Honestly, I’m going to stop there and just say it is nigh impossible to find a queer & Black healthcare providers who move who is around my age, or, isn’t around my age. And that’s even before I get into an any combination of that + takes my insurance. The cost is prohibitive, and the risks of having to educate my provider on what I would consider essential knowledge is too high.
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Asian White: I was not taken seriously at OHSU about hormonal testing and the main doctor there said they would block my insurance if I tried to order hormone testing
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Latinx: I was sexually assaulted in the past, and when I went to Kaiser ER in Sunnyside, the nurse told me I couldn't be raped because I was trans. Only cis women could be raped. I stormed out of the ER and it was 3 days until my friend took me to another hospital to get care, get STI testing, etc.
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Asian: I've had horrible/transphobic experiences navigating fertility preservation at a "LGBTQ friendly" fertility clinic (ORM) about 10 years ago.
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Latinx: Im always charged to take pregnancy test even when I tell them I am Queer with no possibility of pregnancy. So im spending money when i already cant afford to be at said clinic
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Asian: Im an outlier in that im very lucky to be so physically okay. Ive only had an iud put in by planned parenthood and it was no cost to me for that. I had a pap smear and some std testing done but thats basically it. I was lost on how to answer since a lot was not applicable.
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Black or African American: It is readily accessible but the problem is the cost of having it without insurance
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Black or African American: It's difficult to find a decent OBGYN in the Kaiser system that won't talk about weight before anything else comes out of my mouth.
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Latinx: It’s difficult to find someone who has experience and knowledge working with transmasculine people
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Prefer not to say or use these categories: It’s impossible to get the care I need as an intersex person. No one knows how to care for me. No one thinks to check the prostate cells I have because I also have a vulva/vagina.
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Latinx: It’s kind of expensive and you need a good insurance to cover everything
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Latinx: It’s the lack of knowledge of trans health that is my problem. People are not as familiar with trans needs or helping guide as trans folks get older.
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Asian Latinx: Lack of QTBIPOC care providers sometimes leads to avoidance in seeking care. This holds especially true for finding non-biased mental health providers. I had to change my PCP and clinic due to lack of access/knowledge of gender-affirming care.
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Asian: Long wait times and high copays make me less inclined to seek out sexual and reproductive care
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American Indian or Native American White: Most doctors outside of the "transhealth care" network don't know BASIC things on how to treat trans men. and inside the Transhealth care is alot of control and decsion making for me under the guise of acess. I have had many medical issue that relate to my disabilities from birth be misdiagnosed as a "trans related medical issue". its bias made to look like informed treatement of trans people. No trans people in this state are getting adequete healthcare across the board. Especially emergency services.
Line 49
Asian: My experiences in Oregon have been pretty good but it’s important to note that my chronic reproductive health condition (adenomyosis) has been very stable and well managed the whole time I have lived here w no need for any changes to the treatment plan. If my condition got worse, I don’t feel super confident that my current care providers would be able to help and don’t know where else I could seek care.
Line 51
Black or African American: My provider is also queer and trans; I'm lucky to have access to a doctor who understands me, my concerns, and is able to answer my questions well without me having to be the one to educate them.
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Latinx: My provider is excellent. However, the practice added to my chart and medical records "risky sexual behaviors" once I began PrEp. I am in a mostly monogamous marriage. This feels stigmatizing and "judgy." The provider is Providence Primary Care, so I feel their religious affiliation and potential personal biases caused this.
Line 54
Black or African American White: Often not feeling listened to or taken seriously when discussing my symptoms. Very few options to deal with issues relating to sexual health for people with uteruses.
Line 56
Latinx: OHP providers are notorious for treating patients poorly - I remember a few years back, I think OHEA held a community forum online about patients with OHP and there were so many horror stories about dentists and doctors. Submitting complaints to the state of Oregon about this treatment is too hard, especially for monolingual non-English speakers, who already feel like they're not taken seriously.
Line 57
Latinx: One of the major barriers to accessing care (specifically pap smears) is the double whammy of being a survivor of sexual violence and agender. So getting a pap smear is retraumatizing, but the ways that my doctors have often dealt with that is by leaning hard into gendered language--it's so important for me to get a pap smear to protect my womanhood, so that I can be a mother, etc. (One PCP did a whole, like, Divine Feminine/Mother Goddess thing which would have been funny if I weren't on the verge of a panic attack the whole time.) So the combination of "I have to do this thing that is deeply physically uncomfortable and will set off my PTSD for the rest of the day" and "my provider will 'helpfully' misgender me the whole time" makes me avoid pap smears for as long as I can. Also, because I'm asexual and have never had consensual sex, providers get really confused about how to deal with me. Perhaps the most telling exchange was when a PCP asked me about the genders of my past partners. I asked if she was asking what had come into contact with my genitals in what configurations, and she said, no, she was asking about past partners. I said the genders of my partners, and then pointed out that two of the three had been trans and one of those partners I had not been sexually active with and asked again if she was asking what had come in contact with genitals. She said no again, but then was shocked when I told her that I'd never had PIV sex (after she ignored me and tried to use a regular size speculum when I said the regular size wouldn't fit). I think that some providers prefer to use more euphemistic language, but I want the most clinical language at all times to prevent stupid assumptions like that.
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American Indian or Native American White: Planned Parenthood on MLK has been amazing for me and my partner. Other doctors have been callous and unsafe. I was unable to access HRT until I started going to PP.
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American Indian or Native American Asian Black or African American Latinx Middle Eastern or North African White: please focus on VULVAR conditions not just vaginal conditions, such as atrophic vulvar lichen planus that is also capable of affecting anywhere there is mucosa (EVERYWHERE). also focus on lichen sclerosis for the same reasons and have sexual health providers be unafraid of the clitoris for god's sakes and check people with vulvas for ADHESIONS AND PHIMOSIS. I was told I had "just discharge" when I had a whole condition... for SEVEN YEARS.
Line 61
Asian White Prefer not to say or use these categories: Providers' lack of competency navigating sexual and reproductive care with trans patients, particularly patients who are on hormone replacement therapy and have received one or more gender-affirming surgeries
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Latinx: Some providers can be judgemental about polyamory and pansexuality.
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Asian: something I have noticed is that it doesn't seem as if most medical professionals agree on how to tell symptoms for UTIs because so many people in my community and I have also experienced finding out we HAD UTIs only after we were actively suffeering from kidney infections
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Asian: Sometimes I am not taken as seriously due to ageism (I present younger despite my actual age). Appointments are also too short (15 minutes) to address major concerns. I made a request for routine labwork that was denied because "if you're not feeling pain, you should be fine." I agreed not to pursue labwork due to the costs.
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Latinx White: sometimes providers can be condescending. bad experiences in the past keep me from bringing up questions at appointments if im not at a specifically queer health space.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: The homophobia and assumptions of heterosexuality, especially if you have birthed children from a previous relationship with a male. This has caused many issues with providers that I have sought for care. They assume I have sex with men or someone with a penis or that I will again at some point, regardless of what I say or how long it has been. This creats an unsafe environment and road blocks access to certain kinds of care.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx: They made me feel dirty
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: Typically, the doctors always lead with that my weight is the cause of all my medical issues.
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Asian: Vasectomy - scheduling for a commutative appointment was very difficult. Ultimately, decided it wasn’t worth it to go through all of the bureaucracy
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American Indian or Native American Black or African American Latinx: Yeah it's just been so hard it was so hard to get a consultation to get seen for Perry and menopause that almost gave up but you know sometimes it's just so hard to get a specialist to look at that and figure out and my Imperium menopause or not which is really important because what supplements and hormones and different things like that it does affect a lot of different things plus I have a thyroid disorder so like knowing where I am in my reproductive Health would have been really helpful to know a lot earlier and it took me a long time to find out so then it took me a long time to get my thyroid out and it just slowed up a lot of medical things

What would you like us to know about your experience accessing gender affirming care?

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Black or African American: Accessing gender-affirming care has been a game changer for my mental health and well being.
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Asian White: Because my health insurance provides my testosterone through the mail, it makes accessing testosterone very accessible. I used to face a lot more bias, lack of education, and fear of transphobia when I had to go to an in person pharmacy. While my testosterone is accessible, the needles that I need for injection are not. Even though I don’t like buying medical supplies on Amazon, I always buy my injection needles in bulk on Amazon now because I got sick of pharmacies either not having the needle sizes I need in stock, or not understanding what needles I actually need even when I told them the specific size. Several times I had pharmacists give me insulin needles which are useless for testosterone. This even happened when the pharmacist knew I was picking up my testosterone at the same time. My health insurance also has a whole department for gender related care, and these providers are available online which makes it accessible. However my assigned doctor in the gender clinic has had instances of not taking my personal experiences seriously or pushing back telling me that things I have experiences “aren’t possible” or “aren’t supposed to happen.”
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Middle Eastern or North African: Being denied pain management post op because I elected to have a affirming surgery
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Black or African American Latinx: Being misgendered and spoken to as if I am a woman who thinks and wants the things a woman "typically" thinks and wants is a central feature for 99% of my healthcare. I have one therapist who affirms my identity as a trans agender person and she has never misgendered me or relates to me as a woman. I'm grateful for her.
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Prefer not to say or use these categories: Colonial medicine practitioners give me the ick.
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Asian White: I am fat with a high BMI and top surgery is almost unobtainable in my region. Only a handful of surgeons in Portland will work on patients with high BMIs, and their wait times can be years and years.
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Asian: I am so grateful for Oregon Health Plan. I received my top surgery letter Dec 2024 -I do wish these letters didn't expire after 1 year. I was on Regence BCBS for several years through my employment, but lost my job in Jan 2025 and quickly applied for OHP. From Feb - Apr I had double coverage through Regence and OHP. I ended up in the ER for a serious mouth infection in Feb, Regence would barely cover any of my ER costs, but OHP covered all of it, saving me $10K -THANK YOU OHP!!!! In April I finally had the capacity to start looking for surgeons for top surgery. I contacted the following providers: Legacy Emanuel, OHSU, and The Oregon Clinic East. Legacy Emanuel's Dr Thatcher was the most highly recommended and most popular among my social circles. I never heard back from Legacy, I'm sure they are swamped. I heard back from OHSU quickly, they emailed saying that current estimated wait time for top surgery intake/consult is two years; they said they are getting a lot of requests for surgery while having staffing shortages. They also said to contact the clinic directly for most up to date wait times. OHSU also emailed a 23 page booklet with a provider list for all types of gender affirming care, that was SO helpful. I am grateful. I was able to schedule a consult with The Oregon Clinic (East) April 18 and receive insurance approval by end of May to schedule surgery. The earliest surgery date was August but I opted for November instead.
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American Indian or Native American Asian Black or African American Latinx White: i experienced a huge issue with getting competent gender affirming surgery and care due to being non binary and chronically ill because the surgeons and doctor team were very unfamiliar with the special needs of someone with connective tissue disorders (despite being hugely common amongst trans folks) and lead me astray in what to expect in recovery as well as a level of recovery, pain, and regaining movement i would experience post op which was cl platelet incorrect, lead me to make diffferent irreversible medical choices i wouldn’t have if i was properly informed. and have caused me significant increase in chronic pain in the area of the surgery still debilitating after 3 years post op.
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Black or African American: I find it I can manoeuver the field quite well with most of my doctor's being unbiased
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Black or African American: I have been blown away by the compassion and understanding of my healthcare providers.
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Latinx: I have put off getting gender affirming health care because I fear the government.
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Asian: i hit a financial wall whenever regular blood draw is required before accessing HRT. Blood tests have not been covered by premium insurance, and that makes it inaffordable to receive care and thus HRT.
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Latinx: I kept gaining weight, doctor refused to test me (just told me to watch my diet even though I said I was eating normal). Ended missing a serious condition that later put me in the hospital.
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Asian White: I moved to this area to receive the care i knew i needed around HRT and transitioning. I've received most of my care from Outside In
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Prefer not to say or use these categories: I need access to hormones because I am intersex. I feel like doctors can understand a binary transgender person and give them the care they need but they can’t even wrap their head around what I need. (A sex hormone. I don’t really care which at this point. But I can’t keep going on with No Estrogen and Little Testosterone).
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Black or African American: I oftentimes face the most racism and fatphobia along with misgendering by the providers I am seeking gender affirming care from. Many continue to deny me top surgery due to my body type that’s related to genetics rather than gaining or losing weight. Numerous providers have tried to coerce me into weight loss surgery when I have been battling a restrictive eating disorder for over 10 years and still struggle to eat one meal a day. My insurance does not cover any weight loss medications, treatments, or procedures and barely covers anything for gender affirming care.
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Black or African American: I present as a cis, middle-class woman so my questions about hormone replacement therapy were taken seriously.
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American Indian or Native American Asian Black or African American Latinx Middle Eastern or North African White: I want a breast augmentation I know is covered under medicaid for gender affirming reasons, but I present as a more femme non-binary person and I do not feel like I will be taken seriously if I ask for a medically covered breast augmentation. More needs to be done to show how gender affirming care access affects more than just typical presenting trans people, that it even affects cisgender people too.
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Latinx: I was diagnoced with cervical cancer becuse they didn't know what a cervix on 10 years of hormones lookedlike. The lines for surgery are over a year and that is not acceptable Urology is inept when it comes to trans bodies in an er for kidney stones.
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Black or African American: I'm on a wait list for top surgery and it was the only way for me to get a reduction after trying for 15+ years. Been on the wait list for surgery for 7+ months
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Asian: I've experience both racist and transphobic incidents with providers at all levels
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Black or African American: im a Black person so I have a lot of medical trauma. gender affirming care is expensive and my quality of life suffers bc of it
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Black or African American: In the section specifically regarding surgery services, I answered N/A for "satisfactory" and "safe" because I'm currently just on a waitlist for surgery, so I don't know what that part of the experience is like yet
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Latinx: It depends on the provider who I’m seeing My regular Person I see is supportive It’s just the office and the billing departments that I had to correct
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Latinx White: My care at my PCP office (Prism Health) has been very gender affirming, but with long wait times. It's been my care with OHSU that's been bad as I try to pursue bottom surgery
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Black or African American: My surgeon was nonbinary. Some of the folks who prepped me made me a little uncomfortable, and they did not feel culturally competent. However, their direct team was fantastic.
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Black or African American White: My therapist is amazing. If it were strictly about them the answers would be all positive. I know I lucked out with them. My answers refer to services such as Planned Parenthood and other free/low-income/OHP options.
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American Indian or Native American White: My trans healthcare, reproductive healthcare, and disability healthcare and all other healthcare needs are all intersectionally effected my my doctors incompetence in one or more of these areas. I have autism and fetal alochol syndrome and multiple studies show that FAS people do not have average BMIs. I am considered underweight and it greatly effects how much T my doctors will prescibe. They have threatened to take me off of meds that make me functional because of my weight. This survey asked several times if I face fatphobia but I actually face the opposite in healthcare. There is a bias in healthcare around people who are underweight and what treatments we receive.
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Latinx: Providers are insensitive to gender affirming care patients if you do not “look trans enough”
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Latinx: Since I'm not doing HRT and can't get surgery at the moment, I suppose the only gender affirming care I'm really getting is therapy, but it feels like my PCP should be clumped in here, since PCPs have historically been where my gender and sexuality is most likely to become a problem.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx: The VA healthcare system is the worst when it comes to dead making and misgendering patients. And their gender pathways program acitvely lies to patients about what care they can or cannot access. I was told to spend a year "living as a woman" before I could access hormones, and then another year on hormones before I could access bottom surgery. After those two years I was told, sorry, the VA doesn't offer bottom surgeries and won't pay for them either.
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Latinx Prefer not to say or use these categories: The wait is too long. We need better education and route planning to navigate everything, and get around the red tape barring us from care.
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Black or African American: The wombo combo of being fat, Black, and queer + white providers not having enough Black people and other POC in their lives, and thus, they have no idea how to interact with Black people is undefeated.
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American Indian or Native American Black or African American: Theres few doctors with gender knowledge and the ones that are in the area are booked out for months some even years.
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Latinx White: When I told a white woman provider that my hair was thinning due to hrt and i wanted to know what i could do to manage it, she brushed aside my concerns saying my hair was very thick and full and i didn't need to worry. Compared to her straight, thin hair it was, but i know my natural hair texture. When i was preparing for top surgery, my meetings with my surgeon depressed me because she would always comment on how big i was on top. I lost trust in her, thinking it was obvious she shouldn’t make comments like that… ??? These experiences at times made me second guess my decisions to access care at all, and would keep me from asking other questions because i didnt want to spend any more time talking to these providers, worried what else they might say. It was very hard to advocate for myself in those relationships.

What is the best moment that you have had with a provider or getting your reproductive, sexual, and/ or gender affirming healthcare needs met?

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Prefer not to say or use these categories: :-/ My gynecologist says I can start estrogen after a hysterectomy. I don’t think that should be a prerequisite. I think she also doesn’t understand the fact that I am intersex. But she is willing to take my uterus out because I asked nicely.
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Black or African American: A nurse took great care of me when i was getting my blood drawn once
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Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander White: A provider quickly approving my request for an STI panel that I’d previously been told I wouod need to complete several steps before being approved for.
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Asian: A provider supported me in diagnosing my chronic reproductive healthcare issue by listening to my problems, adjusting my medication, and giving me education on post-care.
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Asian: A provider who shared a lot of affirmations with me
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Black or African American White: anytime a provider also provides pharyngeal swabs for gonorrhea and chlamydia. I feel like this is often missed with general STI testing
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Asian White: Beginning of my transition, clinic was more adequately staffed than it is now and was more easily accessible based on my housing situation. Was able to begin HRT soon after making the decision to do so.
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Latinx White: Being able to access said care
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Asian: Doctor clearly defined next steps and estimated timeline for referrals for gender affirming surgeries.
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Black or African American: Doctors that understand how these procedures will improve my way of life and mental health, actually listening and being supportive.
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Latinx: Dr advocating for me by providing biopsy for cervical cancer as preventative care. The process is invasive but she has explained carefully and was gentle with me. It felt a bit rushed but at least it was gentle
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Middle Eastern or North African: Dr. Christopher Fox at OHSU always goes above and beyond, alongside his RN care manger
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Black or African American: During a routine check-up, my provider took the time to answer all my questions and address my concerns.
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Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: During my first pap smear I was triggered by the feeling of the speculum in my body. The provider talked me through every move and took breaks when I named I needed them. She was also very proactive about checking in throughout the process.
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Black or African American: During my initial consultation for HRT, the doctor I spoke with gave me detailed explanations about each form of HRT (injection, gel, etc.), and also demonstrated how each one was applied with relevant equipment. I appreciate how she went out of her way to make sure I knew how each one worked, because as a result, I was easily able to pick which version of HRT worked best for me.
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Latinx: During weekends
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American Indian or Native American Asian Black or African American Latinx Middle Eastern or North African White: Every in person interaction with Dr. Erin Foster, vulvar dermatology assistant prof at OHSU, as a sexual and reproductive Dr. It took over a decade to find a doctor who saw I was misdiagnosed and that I have an autoummine issue that has treatment. Dr. Foster, or as she likes to be called, Erin, was friendly, sex-positive in a very professional way, focused on listening first before interrupting with questions. She respected my knowledge. I also highly recommend ND Thorn Willow who learned clitoral myofascial release as a technique to help my condition.
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Black or African American: Everyone is masked at Outside In and I was able to get a pregnancy test there
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Latinx Prefer not to say or use these categories: Getting an increase in my dosage upon immediately switching doctors.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: Getting bottom surgery (although the follow-up care left much to be desired)
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Latinx: getting my hormones
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American Indian or Native American: getting my prescription has always been a delight. most people are very friendly and congradulate me.
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Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Getting top surgery 2 years ago, and having my surgeon use gender-affirming language
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Asian: Had a good interaction w me doctor at prism - competent and comfortable (but wait times in between appointments are too long)
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American Indian or Native American Latinx: have not had a best moment
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Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Having a nonbinary primary care physician has been life changing!
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Latinx: Having a trans provider, although they were white, we did share an aspect of identity so it was a bit easier to use language we both understood without them having to question or google a lot.
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Asian White: Having a transgender woman as a healthcare provider!! It's been so reassuring and I trust her expertise
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Latinx White: I brought up my thinning hair again, at an appointment with a trans masculine doctor instead of the white woman doctor I mentioned in the earlier question. He listened to me tell the story, apologized, asked if I’d like him to pass this on to the other doctor, and then gave me all the information about my treatment options that she ought to have in the first place.
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Latinx: I can’t think of one but there are times when my providers get it. It isn’t all negative.
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Black or African American Latinx: I don’t have one. I’m still fighting to be seen and heard.
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Latinx: I don't remember
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American Indian or Native American White: I feel comfortable with my current doctor and her ability to have a conversation and ask me questions that I’m happy to answer.
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Latinx: i found a practitioner who is Latin X as well as me and i quality of service i received was good
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Asian: i get mammograms and MRI every 2 years for preventative care
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Asian: I get my sti testing done at Cascadia and I’ve always had a pleasant and informative time with the providers there. I get appointments within a week which is so much faster than through my PCP which can take up to 3 months. I also love that the care at Cascadia is free, as it should be!!!
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Asian: I had a frustrating experience with my previous primary provider, where I felt unheard and anxious of being misdiagnosed, as my ethnicity shows aging differently from white people so I am often mistaken for 20 years younger. I explained this to the doctor and pointed out my age, and explained that I was experiencing symptoms aligned with perimenopause. He then said that I could not be menopausal as that occurs between the ages of 40-44 (I am 45). After that appointment I changed providers to a doctor who specializes in gender and hormonal treatment. She was very sympathetic to this story and made sure to listen to me and answer all of my questions.
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Asian White Prefer not to say or use these categories: I had an amazing care team at Legacy Health when I got gender affirming surgery there. The nurses were extremely kind and had great bedside manner. The surgeon I went to was extremely skilled in ensuring the aesthetics, the function, and the healing post-surgery. I felt like I received the some of the highest quality results at no cost thanks to the Oregon Health Plan.
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Black or African American White: I had been misdiagnosed by a doctor who insisted on treatments that made symptoms worse and so I had been suffering with symptoms for years. She kept insisting on trying the same treatments even though my symptoms kept coming back. Finally went to another doctor and she listened to me, chose alternative treatments that avoided what I had experienced in the past and within a week my symptoms were gone after dealing with them for over 4 years.
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Asian White: I have a current mental health therapist that is nonbinary and identifies as Black and/or brown like I do. I find it easier to relate to them and they hold space for my frustrations with the biases I experience due to my high BMI and trying to find a top surgeon that will treat me with respect and dignity.
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Asian: I have yet to meet a provider that uses correct pronouns for me
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Middle Eastern or North African: I recently found a doctor who was knowledgeable about peri/menopause and helped get me onto hormones quickly.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: I recently found a new PCP who is a woman and minority. She actually listened to my issues and diagnosed me with several sever medical issues that have gone untreated for the majority of my adult life. I am now on several new medications and receiving therapies I had no clue I needed. It is incredibly frustrating that all the doctors who I have gone to in the past about these issues always pinned the problem on my weight and never looked farther than that. Having a provider who shares similarity in my identity and lived experience has made all the difference to me.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx: I recently had a cervical biopsy, and I explained to the OBGYN about my medical anxiety. She did an excellent job and helped me get anti-anxiety medication for the procedure, gave me the different options of pain numbing and relief, and was calm and understanding during the procedure.
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Latinx: I recently needed an abortion and my provider (who I had never met before) spent time with me to make sure I was taken care of and wouldn't have a traumatic experience.
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Asian White: I remember when I went to Planned Parenthood and the doctor told me to let me know when I was feeling discomfort when getting a new IUD inserted. They had let me know that any time there was discomfort, it can be avoided. I wanted to cry because they cared that I was in pain whereas in the hospital, they didn’t give me an option to be comfortable. At Planned Parenthood, they gave me snacks, a heating pad, and took time with me instead of popping a new one in and sending me out.
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Prefer not to say or use these categories: I saw a wonderful naturopath who spoke slowly and kindly and really listened. She gave me the mantra to recite “I am comfortable calm and content with my body”
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Latinx: I think it was during a general STI screening, they were very caring, assuring and kind and gentle and informative through the whole procedure.
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Black or African American: I truly can’t say any
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Black or African American White: I was met with kindness and comfort when I brought up my dysphoria to my pcp.
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Asian White: I was out of my testosterone prescription and I met with who is now my PCP, who prescribed me the medication and made it easy. It has been so hard before, it made me cry out of gratitude.
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Black or African American: i went for a routine check up and found i was pregnant
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Asian: I’ve only had amazing experiences with the Multnomah Student Health center across Portland and Planned Parenthood. I was experiencing chronic BV (which I was confused and ashamed for), but my health provider told gave me a ton of information and gave me multiple ways to prevent it in the future.
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Latinx: In San Francisco I had a nurse in the Gender Pathways clinic at Kaiser who was amazing and very sensitive to my experience and shared my victories. We shared a beautiful moment when they removed my top surgery bandages for the first time
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Asian: increased waiting room privacy
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Latinx: It’s when I have access to emergency STI screenings and having my RX FILLEDon time
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Latinx: Last doctor references helped me with someone who knew a bit more about trans care. He knew he couldn’t help me much so referred me out
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Black or African American White: Meeting my current therapist has absolutely shifted my ability to receive care. If not for them, all my answers would be much more negative. They help me find and access critical resources and feel confident and safer doing so. I was very lost and suffering before meeting them. I genuinely cannot express how much their presence in my life has improved my outlook on my life and my identity in relation to the world we live in. I don't have a specific moment, because they're a constant source of inspiration and motivation. Even when options outside of them are difficult to access, unaffordable or scary I can look to them for guidance and know I am cared about.
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Asian: My current doctor always asks me to say my symptoms in my own words, even if the nurses tell them what they think. My doctor shares similar racial and queer identities with me. They often listen to what I am saying and take me seriously.
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Latinx: My current PCP is a resident (as was my previous PCP) and honestly it has been the best PCP experience of my life. Both of them have genuinely been so normal about both my gender and sexuality and have actually listened to me and taken my concerns seriously. The bar is low, but they are clearing it. It helps that their clinic specifically includes questions about gender and sexuality on their intake forms, and has clearly put a lot of effort into NOT making assumptions based on euphemism.
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Black or African American: My current therapist has been very supportive with advocating for my gender affirming top surgery with surgeons at multiple different hospital organizations and was helpful with writing my gender affirming surgery letter of support.
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Asian White: My doctor is an Asian woman and she is young, compassionate, and so kind. She actually listens to me and believes me. I waited years to find someone like me to be my doctor and I will never leave Dr Wang's care. It means the world to me to see a doctor that is like me.
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Black or African American Latinx: My first visit ever with my first gender affirming doctor was one of the best appointments I had in a long time because she heard me, validated me, and did not bring any of the norms (like weight, misgendering things like that) to the appointment. She cared about just me, as a human. And my well being and that meant a lot.
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Black or African American: My mental healthcare provider always makes me feel seen , heard, and understood. If he’s not sure about something he asks, he doesn’t make assumptions
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Black or African American White: My Michigan pcp have me options for partial transition hrt
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Asian: My past pcp was very open with sexuality and so I felt very comfortable with bringing up my concerns. She was very open and I appreciated her taking the time to see me as a person and not just a patient
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Asian: My PCP did not express any assumptions about me/my reproductive care needs. For some of my specific questions + screening needs, she did not just guess at answers when she wasn’t sure— she looked up the evidence based guidelines for how best to treat me, explained to me where she found the information and how she was interpreting things for my individual case so that I could understand how to access the info + take charge of my own health in the future. She is also very trauma informed and skilled in GYN procedures - minimizing pain/discomfort. Nothing too special, just providing respectful and competent care that should be the norm.
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Latinx White: my previous PCP was always really responsive to my ideas and trusted that I knew my body best, so it always felt like a collaboration when I came to her with a problem. Because I already have so much experience (lived and through helping others), it was refreshing having a provider who trusted me and didn't belittle or block my ideas.
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Asian White: My primary doctor does not specialize in gender healthcare but she is excellent at always taking seriously what I say and really following my lead and trusting me when I express what I need. Because of this I feel confident talking to her about any and all healthcare needs I have, including gender related care because she has never once acted bias towards me.
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Black or African American: My pronouns were respected, my sexuality understood, and my concerns were heard. My provider was a Pacific Islander
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American Indian or Native American Latinx: My provider has been very kind and understanding of my needs. I think the problem is more about that there is not many providers like her
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Latinx: My queer midwives at the birth of my child.
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American Indian or Native American White: My surgeon in Texas was amazing and the entire staff was professional and really affirming. This was 2015. I have been in front and behind the scenes of the trans medical care in OR and I have yet to see that same atmoshere anywhere here. I have more access to care but the care is discriminatory often controlling and infantilizing of me as a tran adult.
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Black or African American Latinx: My therapist never misgenders me and although she is a cisgender woman I feel see by her. She does not talk to me like I'm a woman and that the common experiences of woman are synonymous with my own.
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American Indian or Native American: Nothing amazing. Just standard pap smear
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Black or African American: Outside in
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Black or African American: Over the past five years, I have found the best care team. When I was diagnosed with MS, a whole new healthcare life started for me and I promptly made lots of appointments to different specialties. I was happy with how easy it was to find a gynecologist so quickly. Especially someone who really. Listens. To. You. I felt heard, and seen, and totally safe. One of the best appointments ever.
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: Planned parenthood
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Asian: Planned parenthood has been the most streamlined and structured option that I have found so far
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Latinx: Planned Parenthood, it was the first place that asked me for my pronouns and preferred name
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Latinx White: Primary care provider is trans
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Black or African American White: Probably the first time I brought up an interest in start testosterone. My provider was incredibly knowledgeable and took me step by step through the process and what to expect.
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Asian Latinx: Provider is trauma informed.
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Latinx: Provider spent time with me to go over my concerns and explained my options with a follow up.
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Prefer not to say or use these categories: Receiving the medication I needed
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Asian: Since my doctor in Portland couldn't even complete the routine exam, I decided to do mammo and other exams in Japan, my home country. I could make an appointment after my arrival, They were available within a week, and both of the tests were done in 30 mins, no wait time. Just so easy.
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Asian: So far my experience with The Oregon Clinic (Plastic Surgery) East has been really sweet. Overall, they've been easy to get in contact with, very responsive and supportive. I feel like I get to express my feelings throughout the process, whether its feeling anxiety or feeling celebratory all the staff at Oregon Clinic have made space for all the feelings that come up while navigating top surgery. The best moment so far is getting surgery scheduled :))))))
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Latinx: So far, I haven’t had the opportunity to receive care related to my sexual, reproductive, or gender-affirming health. However, I believe it’s important that these services are accessible and available for everyone when they need them
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Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Someone with the same experiences as me
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Latinx: Sometimes the staff at Planned parenthood is also queer and they are always really respectful and kind.
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American Indian or Native American Black or African American Latinx: Talking with my top surgery surgeon was an amazing experience. She was very nice and supportive
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American Indian or Native American Asian Black or African American Latinx White: the best moment i had with a provider meeting my needs with sexual/reproductive and gender affirming health care was when a dr from planned parenthood followed up consistently with a complex problem i was having and validated me for the care i deserved after seeing that i had not been properly diagnosed, assessed or given care by someone willing to learn about my specific health needs that largely affect my reproductive and sexual health issues.
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Black or African American: The best moment was with a nurse practitioner who made me feel very comfortable. I didn't need treatment, so she offered it to me as an option, explaining what she could do if I wanted/needed then offer me to the choice. She was also comfortable receiving questions at the end of the appointment when I was a bit more comfortable.
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American Indian or Native American Black or African American: The day i started hormones
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Latinx: The fact that she was a woman made me feel safer. Also I told her my worries and she gave me more information on different options. I tried a medication that didn’t work out and she helped me try a new medication without the side effects of the previous one.
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American Indian or Native American White: The first appointment I had to start HRT for testosterone at Planned Parenthood was amazing. It was through telehealth(?) and my doctor worked with me to find the smallest needle for my subcutaneous shots. They were also incredibly receptive and supportive to my desire to do low dose testosterone as I have no interest in being perceived as a cis man.
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Black or African American: the last psych I talked to was Black and she was very attuned and affirming!
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Black or African American: The person from the gender clinic was so kind and got me approved for surgery in one go. I hadn't ever been that happy before
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Latinx: The practitioner that prescribed my hormone therapy was on the same hormone therapy! So very refreshing to ask someone about it who has experienced it first hand
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Black or African American: The provider was non binary and they totally understood me
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Asian: Their ability to be fully present with you
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Latinx: Them not questioning me when I said I wanted STI testing even when I wasn’t sexually active
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Asian: They are so nice
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Asian: They listened to me. And did not deter me from getting surgery.
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Asian: When a provider asked if I wanted to be referred by a specific name, and then honored that name I gave them
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: When a provider clearly spoke to me with my name and pronouns and laid out next steps for a gender affirming care process.
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Latinx Middle Eastern or North African: when a provider is also queer and fat and brown, Its nice to see yourself reflected
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Asian: When folks are knowledgeable and use my pronouns
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Black or African American: When he got the proper testosterone dosage for me
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Latinx: When I called the center for natural medicine 10 years ago and asked in tears if they could see and treat me as a trans person and they said they didn't have any trans pashents but they did have drs up to the challenge.
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Asian Latinx: When I can easily send a message to my primary health care doctor Via the App and they will response through it.
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Asian Latinx: When I first asked for gender affirming care, my doctor immediately started helping me get that kind of care. I also got my top surgery scheduled and done in about 2 months.
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Black or African American: When I first started T my doctor didn’t question me or anything they just prescribed the T and that was it.
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Black or African American: When I had a cyst my doctor was queer & helpful
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Asian Middle Eastern or North African: When I had good insurance and got to go to a trauma informed all-womens gynecologist office.
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Latinx: When I had top surgery the staff at Kaiser was incredibly affirming and exceeded in delivering affirming care
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Asian: When I have insurance and it covers all costs.
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Asian: when i learned about my hpv, i was met without judgment and received empathy
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Asian: when i've had queer doctors comfortably and openly listen and talk to me about my sexual health
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Asian White: When my OB-GYN took my period pain seriously, when my fertility focused queer naturopath explained to me a ton of the science around insemination considerations that is specific to queer people, which the fertility clinic and my straight OBGYN did not understand.
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Black or African American: When my provider listened to me without judgment and offered personalized guidance.
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Latinx: When they follow back after every test results
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American Indian or Native American Latinx White: When they just listen and believe you
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American Indian or Native American Black or African American Latinx: ZoomCare



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