- If you have gender dysphoria, and desire to transition from one physical gender to another, you must first talk to your G.P., who will refer you to a local Psychiatrist, who will then refer you to the GIC (in this case, and many others, Charing Cross).
- If you have gender dysphoria, and desire to transition from one physical gender to another, go talk to your G.P., and then start your transition - transition at home, get your deed poll done, transition at work.
At some point down the line (4-6 months), you'll receive an appointment with a Psychiatrist, who will tell you that you need a referral and then put you on the waiting list. Your first appointment at CHX-GIC will be roughly 1 year after you've seen your psych for the first time. - During your 60 minute initial assessment, we'll discuss with you your history, and then discuss with you how we can aid you with your transition - hormones, speech therapy, hair removal (not covered by all PCTs).
- During your 60 minute initial assessment, you will re-tell your entire life story - the unabridged version -, in great detail. This will take approximately 80% of the appointment.
You will then be told whether or not you're a suitable candidate for transition. You will be told that you should get a deed poll done and bring it to your next appointment, as they consider this to be "not required, but, a definite line in the sand that shows you are serious".
***Even if you have been on hormones before (self prescribed or otherwise), this is not a valid case for proving you're serious***
You will be told that they require blood to be taken, and given a blood test sheet, which you must then take to CHX-Hospital.
You will be given a follow-up appointment, with a colleague of the psych's choosing. During this follow-up, you will be expected to re-tell your life story, in depth.
You will probably at this point ask about when hormones can be prescribed, even if just anti-androgens.
The answer will be "After your next session, if we're satisfied"
You will ask "what is the criteria to satisfy you?"
The answer will be "Well, you need to prove that you're serious; so, deed poll, and transition."
To which you'll probably reply "waaaait... I have to transition *without* hormones, and *without* speech therapy?"
To which the answer will be "yes... we don't like to give out hormones pre-transition, as people can wait for themselves to become more confident, and maybe even never transition, even though their bodies have physically changed. As to speech-therapy, we believe it shows that you're more serious if you transition without it. We'll happily refer you after you've transitioned though, and proven this at your 2nd appointment, or 5th, or 10th, or however many it takes you until we're satisfied."
They'll also throw in some bullshit about speech-therapist preferring people to be in one role, just to fuck with you.
At the end of the session (especially if you've moved house), expect the uptight bitch in the reception to tell you "You must stand there, and then she'll be with you in a second", followed by her moving 2' to the left when you stand where she tells you, and asking "How can I help?". This will promptly be followed up with something along the lines of (if you moved) "Because you moved I can't give you an appointment now as we have to check funding."
Had I known all of these things *before* starting this path of bullshit, I'd have transitioned already, and wouldn't have wasted another 1.5 years. Thanks charing cross, thanks Dr Davies, and fuck you and the horses you both rode in on.
P.S. Their idea of a hormone regimen is fucking archaic. No wonder it takes years for people to even begin to show sign of their bodies changing.
