General Enquiries

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Do you provide services in the US?

Yes, we can provide services to the United States. However, you would need to be sure you can find a pharmacy that will either dispense an EU prescription or access a service that can convert it into a US prescription. Alternatively, we can carry out the necessary assessments and then issue you with a Treatment Summary for your doctor so they can do blood testing and write a prescription based on our recommendations. You can find out more about our services and how it all works here (https://www...

How can I stay in touch?

If you would like to stay informed of our advocacy work, please follow us on social media. You can find us on all of the main social channels @GenderGP. We also share regular updates via our newsletter (https://www.gendergp.com/newsletters/), which you are welcome to subscribe to via our website, if you do not already do so. Our podcast is available for download via all the main podcast apps, or you can listen directly via the website (https://www.gendergp.com/podcasts/). Finally, our blog (http...

Is being transgender a mental illness/disorder?

No. Classifying gender identity as a medical condition has been problematic. Those whose gender is simply different to the one they were assigned at birth understandably do not wish to be classified as having a disease, or a disorder, or an illness. Previous Classifications of Diseases (ICD) have classified gender-identity related health as Gender Identity Disorder in a category of mental health. However, it is no longer considered a disorder. ICD-11 now classifies it as ‘gender incongruence of ...

What is the difference between gender and sex?

A person’s sex is defined by the appearance or anatomy of their genitals, or their chromosomal make-up at birth. Sex is usually recorded as male, female, or intersex (although intersex itself comprises a variety of different intersex conditions). If you need to talk about the birth sex of a transgender or intersex person, it is best to say 'assigned female at birth' or 'assigned male at birth'. Avoid phrases like 'born male', 'born a woman', etc. A person’s gender relates to their internal sens...

What is gender dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria is the term used to describe the sense of discomfort experienced by people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. The discomfort may be constant or sporadic, and it may vary in terms of severity. If you are experiencing gender dysphoria and would like to talk about treatment, you can reach out to our team here (http://gendergp.com/help-centre/ask). (https://care.gendergp.com/submit_ticket)

What causes someone to be transgender?

We are not absolutely sure what causes someone to be trans, and it is probably a variety of factors combined. We do understand that it is not something that can be forced on someone, or something that someone can choose to be. It is not something that happens because of childhood experiences and it is not a personal choice. It is inherent, like sexuality or eye colour.

What is transition?

Transition describes the social, psychological, and/or medical processes by which a transgender person realigns themselves away from their birth-assigned gender and towards the gender with which they identify.

What is Bell and Mrs A v Tavistock?

Bell and Mrs A v Tavistock, sometimes shortened to Bell v Tavistock was a Judicial Review court case that took place in December 2020 concerning the provision of gender-affirming care for young people by the Gender Identity Development Services (GIDS) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust. You can get all the information about Bell v Tavistock on our website (https://www.gendergp.com/advocacy/bell-and-mrs-a-v-tavistock/).

What was the judgement of Bell and Mrs A v Tavistock?

The court ruled that children aged sixteen and over were able to consent to puberty blockers, children aged fourteen to fifteen were unlikely to be able to give informed consent to puberty blockers, and that children aged thirteen or younger were less likely still. The judgement did not prohibit prescribing puberty blockers or other forms of gender-affirming care to young people under the age of sixteen, nor did it alter the legal provision of Gillick competence (i.e. that children are able t...

What are the consequences of the Bell v Tavistock ruling?

The Bell v Tavistock judgement did not prohibit the provision of gender-affirming care to children, nor did it make treatments like puberty blockers illegal. Unfortunately, this has been the interpretation of some people in both the media and the healthcare establishment. This has led to the suspension of referrals from the psychology department at the Tavistock to the medical department at University College London Hospital, preventing transgender young people and their families from access...

What is the Cass Review?

The Cass Review is an independent review being undertaken by Dr Hilary Cass into the state of trans youth care in the UK. The aim of the Review is to ensure that children and young people who are questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender dysphoria, and who need support from the NHS, receive a high standard of care that meets their needs and is safe, holistic and effective. We are optimistic that the Cass review will call for a more timely, compassionate, and patient-centred ap...

What can I do to help transgender people?

You can also follow us on social media to become part of the conversation, and educate yourself by visiting the educational materials on our website (http://gendergp.com/). If you are in the UK, you can sign and share our petition (https://www.change.org/p/transgender-healthcare-services-in-the-uk-are-broken-urgent-improvements-are-needed) campaigning for better trans healthcare, or you could write to your MP (https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/).

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