Do we really know yourself?
We all are the same and different at the same time. But the question is if we know about it. Do we know who we are? Can we judge others? Can others judge us? Is being transgender our fault or how is it?
Have you ever heard about transgender people? Or do you know at least what transgender means? There are many transgender people around us nowadays. Let’s make it clear and take a look at the definition of transgender people before the explanation of healthcare access. Wikipedia says that people that are transgender are endowed with gender identity or gender expression that differs from their assigned sex. In short, one is born as male but acts like female and vice versa. Transgender people are totally the same as “non-transgender”. They are people from meat and bones, with feelings and motion. They live lives as others, they have families, jobs, friends. It seems they do not have any troubles. It is better to not judge anyone at first sight and do no talk about them in bad way. However, there is something what doubt them a lot and it is not a negligible problem. They face to it everyday and everywhere. It is acceptance. They are judged by stares almost by all people passing by.
I am from Slovakia and I can say that my country is not super liberal but not really conservative. I would say we are in the middle, on the way to reach liberalism but at a glacial pace and therefore the word transgender naming people with different gender identity itself does not say a lot to regular mortals. Even I had had difficulties to think about it before I wrote this article. There are many things bothering transgender people, from ID cards, driving licence, passports, bank accounts through credit cards, social security numbers to medical records. All the troubles mentioned above make their hard lives even harder. In the case of having health problems, of course, the doctor is needed. The harder part of overcoming the situation is only coming up and they face to bureaucracy. Are they considered as female being while gender identity says they are men and vice versa? The question is if they are truly accepted by doctors and insurance company. To become transgender is not about wishing it all the life. It happens after birth, during growing up or it just comes one day and you have to face to it. It is not their choice. It is not them who decided to change the identity. It is hormones, nature and higher power. They do not know to change it or even influence and in many situations even accept it. Because of all that can happen to them they need to be accepted in the society, they are still human beings, they must be accepted as individuals with a new identity, however, changing the identity is not very easy but not impossible. There is a big need of doctors´ help and of course financial support. But is there any description of how and where to find finances that cover all the cost of surgery? Insurance companies are not open to this support, even though it is needed and it is considered as kind of “disease”.
