I'm just under a month out from my first appointment to talk to my doctor about seeing a mental health person for my dysphoria, anxiety, and depression. I'm both super excited and stressed because I'm working through the veteran's (USA) healthcare system and they're not known for liberal viewpoints BUT they do recognize trans veterans and provide hormone therapy so long as you have a diagnosis of Gender dysphoria. I'm really hoping that this appointment is a formality and after I lay everything out for them that they recognize me and don't just push it off as not serious enough to require treatment for the anxiety and depression. I don't know what I'd need for the dysphoria, I came out to my family, friends, and work. I have switched to a masculine name (not legally yet), wardrobe, and grooming. I'm doing everything that can be done prior to starting T and getting Top Surgery to live as a guy.* I can't change my birth cert without a doctor's note and I'll feel more secure about the legal name change going through when I have the updated birth certificate.

Is there anything else I can do, need to do, in order to get a GD diagnosis?? Were their criteria for your diagnosis? If the Veteran's Affairs system recognizes me as being trans and gives me the diagnosis my T is covered and so is my counseling. If they don't recognize me then I have to pay out of pocket for my counseling and T and I just can't afford that. I mean I might be able to swing the T but not the counseling and I feel like both are super important to my journey.

So if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or kind words I'd love to hear them.


*I don't think you need to be on T or have had any surgery to be a man, but I'm dealing with a fairly conservative govt. organization and the more I can demonstrate who I really am the better my chances are.