|
|
| About site: Transgendered/Health and Wellness - Transsexuals, Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging |
Return to Society also Society
|
| About site: http://www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/outword-063.html |
Title: Transgendered/Health and Wellness - Transsexuals, Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging OutWord newsletter article, "Transsexuals, Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging"
|
|
|
|
|
Courtroom_Communications_LLC Witness preparation services, exhibit preparation, and lawyer training. New York, NY.
| Urania_Manuscripts Memorial on the occasion of the 176th birthday anniversary of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs in 2001. Features excerpts of his works in translation, and biographical information.
| Yackey,_Kenny Some personal information, photos, pages for friends and family, poems, and links.
| What_is_Islam\'s_view_of_homosexuality? Gives a traditional Muslim view of homosexuality but with modern psychological insights and understanding.
| New_Brunswick,_Saint_John_-_Port_City Includes local resources, event and volunteer information.
| Mach_and_Ehrenfels__Foundations_of_Gestalt_Theory Comes to terms with the implications of the ideas of Mach and Ehrenfels on the complexity of perception.
|
|
| Alexa statistic for http://www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/outword-063.html |
Please visit: http://www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/outword-063.html
|
| Related sites for http://www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/outword-063.html |
| TamaraBrooks_org Tamara Brooks sponsors the Tamara Brooks Fund and speaks out on the Amber Alert System to help victims of childhood violence. | | OurDivorceAgreement_com Online forms preparation tool. | | The_National_Trust_of_South_Australia Manages historic buildings and nature reserves, lobbies to protect the nation's heritage, and runs access programs through over 60 museums and collections. | | Maharishi_University_of_Management_Press Offers collections of books, videos, CD's and tapes on Maharishi's programmes. | | About_com_Pediatrics__Safety_on_Halloween Safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Safety Council. | | Antioch_Ecclesia_Website Ecclesia website that includes the studies in the scriptures, convention information, study outlines, charts and a photo gallery. | | Cambodia_Post Cambodia Post providing good quality postal services to Cambodians. | | Sovereign_Performatives_by_Judith_Butler Excerpt from her 1997 article in the Journal of Critical Inquiry. | | Anti-Racist_Action Direct action group which protests fascist and neo-nazi activities. News and information about history, pictures, and events, as well as downloads, merchandise, and mailing list information. | | Websites_For_Yoga_Teachers Allow yoga teachers to create, maintain and promote their own website. | | Turkey_-_Ankara Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey, providing links to EU treaties and documents, news releases, fact sheets, as well as information about EU-funded programmes in Turkey. | | Kias_Place A transvestite from Aalborg in Denmark. Photos, links, bio, diary and guestbook. | | Amutha_Rajendran_&_Raguram_Kamakshisundaram March 22, 2004 - Pollachi, TN, India. | | International_Law_Database_(ILD) Contains thousands of links to online legal resources from every country in the world | | Melissa_True_Today About herself and loved ones, with photographs. | | Polish-Canadian_Congress Represents Polish Canadians in Canada and abroad; the website contains news, information about the events, history of Poles in Canada and information about the contribution of Poles in Canada | | Church_of_God_(7th_Day)_Salem,_WV Official web site of the Church of God (7th Day) headquartered in Salem, WV. Includes statements of beliefs, Bible study tracts, directory of local churches around the world, and other information. | | standonline_org Provides an online community where you can have fun, interact, and take a stand with others against Big Tobacco. | | Custom_Air_Trays Manufacturer of Air Trays and Shipping products. | | Zander_Keig Vice president of FTM International, community organizer, author, trainer, speaker, facilitator and coach. |
|
This is websites2007.org cache of m/ as retrieved on 2008.07.24 websites2007.org's cache is the snapshot that we took of the page as we crawled the web. The page may have changed since that time.
|
OutWord
Winter
2000
Transsexuals,
Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging
by T. M. Witten, A. Evan Eyler & Cathy Weigel
Although they are often invisible to professionals in the field of aging--and
indeed to society in general--transgender (TG) and transsexual (TS) individuals
clearly form a more than negligible percentage of the U.S. population. These
elders not only require the same care as all older adults, they also need
care--and face obstacles--specifically related to their gender status.
Female-to-male (FTM) transsexuals and transgenders usually
self-identify during their teens, 20s or 30s, often following
a long period of self-identifying as lesbian. By contrast, male-to-female
(MTF) transsexuals and transgenders more often attempt to suppress their
gender identity for years or decades, first expressing their variance socially
or seeking sex-reassignment services during midlife or older age.
Quality-of-life issues for all TG/TS individuals at midlife and in old
age may be affected by a range of medical and social considerations. These
issues in some cases are similar to those encountered by all older adults,
and in many other cases are distinctive to those who are making or have
made a gender transition. The following overview briefly outlines a number
of such issues that should be of concern to service providers in aging.
Medical Issues. People who undertake gender transition through
hormone therapy or full sex-reassignment surgery during midlife or the elder
years are more likely than their younger peers to face obstacles related
to physical health. Aging-related conditions, especially cardiac or pulmonary
dysfunction, may make an individual ineligible for surgical procedures--including
breast or genital reconstruction--that medical professionals deem elective.
In addition, genetic males seeking transition to the female gender may
be poor candidates for estrogen therapy if their medical history includes
various conditions more common in older adults: moderate or severe hypertension,
pathologic hypercoagulable states or thromboembolic disease, or uncontrolled
diabetes mellitus. Those receiving medical treatment involving unusually
complicated pharmacological regimens also may be ruled out. Conversely,
MTF individuals with prostate disease may experience medically beneficial
side effects from gender-related estrogen treatment.
In FTMs, androgen supplementation does not cause problems with hypercoagulability,
but it does increase the risk of coronary artery disease and may exacerbate
dyslipidemias such as depressed HDL cholesterol. Androgen supplementation
also is a risk factor for the development of polycythemia (increased red
blood cell count), a potentially life-threatening condition. At the same
time, it may have a medically therapeutic value for FTMs with preexisting
anemia or loss of bone mineralization.
Healthcare and Personal Assistance. Because of prejudice and rigid
gender expectations on the part of service providers, TG/TS elders can encounter
problems in gaining access to healthcare and personal assistance services.
Older postoperative transsexuals who can "pass," even when nude, have the
least difficulty. (Due to the current differences in the outcomes of reconstructive
surgery for female vs. male genitals, this advantage is overwhelmingly experienced
by MTF individuals.)
For TG/TS older adults who face varying degrees of difficulty in passing,
the apparent mismatch between their genital anatomy and their social gender
can result in difficulty in obtaining medical care, practical nursing assistance
and even mortuary services. In addition, many medical personnel consider
transgenderism, transsexualism and cross-dressing to be evidence of psychiatric
pathology. As a result of such mistaken notions, healthcare professionals
may make inappropriate psychiatric referrals.
Middle-aged and older cross-dressers often experience difficulty in obtaining
healthcare services due to privacy concerns. For example, most MTF cross-dressers
remove leg and body hair in order to appear as normal women while dressed
as women. When they need medical assistance, they face the dilemma of either
disclosing their cross-dressing behavior or attempting to postpone services
until the body hair has regrown. Such delays in obtaining medical care can
have serious health consequences.
HIV and AIDS. HIV and aids have been of increasing concern in the
TG/TS and cross-dressing populations. Those who have suppressed their gender
identity during adolescence or early adulthood at times enjoy a "second
adolescence" when they begin to socialize in their true psychological gender,
adopting behaviors that may include risky dating and sexual acting out.
Such behaviors may increase the risk of HIV infection, a situation that
challenges service providers to create effective and culturally appropriate
risk-reduction strategies for this population.
HIV infection in later life also presents special financial complications
for TG/TS older adults: They may face the burden of paying for contragender
hormone therapy or transsexual surgical services as well as treatments for
chronic conditions that accompany aging, while at the same time taking on
the expense of HIV antivirals. In addition to the cost, elders in this situation
may find it difficult to comply with required drug regimens; the "pill burden"
may be very difficult to maintain on a daily basis.
Oral Health. Oral health is a particular concern for older MTFs
who are receiving a hormone regimen. They face not only the risks of oral
disease that generally come with aging, but also compounding problems specifically
associated with estrogen therapy, among them bone loss in the jaw and increased
likelihood of tooth decay. In addition, estrogen therapy is associated with
bacterial changes in the mouth and with lower saliva production. Both of
these effects increase the risk of periodontal disease, which recent studies
have shown to be a factor in the development of coronary heart disease and
cerebrovascular disease.
Personal Finances. TG/TS older adults often experience the cumulative
effects of discrimination on personal finances. Unpublished data from A.
Evan Eyler and T. M. Witten indicate that incomes well below the U.S. national
average are common among FTMs. Because many FTMs begin their transition
only after years of lesbian identification, this is most likely a result
of discrimination they experienced as women and lesbians. Conversely, MTFs,
who tend to be older at the time of transition, may have enjoyed higher
income during a long period of male privilege before assuming their female
gender.
Workplace discrimination also harms the financial stability of TG/TS older
adults. Attempts at gender transition on the job are at times met with dismissal;
only one state and a handful of municipalities provide protection from employment
discrimination based on gender presentation. Because financial resources
in old age depend very much on what people have earned throughout their
adult lives, TG/TS individuals who have experienced such discrimination
may face difficulties in covering their expenses in retirement.
Physical Transition. The physical phenomenon of aging may facilitate
social gender transition for TG/TS older adults. Women and men share more
physical similarity during the elder years than at any other time after
childhood. For example, loss of facial skin tone produces a softer appearance
for many genetic males--a change that helps MTF elders appear more female.
Similarly, genetic females experience a shift toward andronization of the
hair follicles as they age. For FTM transsexuals, this encourages beard
growth that produces a more male appearance.
Furthermore, the loss of muscle mass and the increase in body fat experienced
by all elders often results in women and men appearing more similar. These
physiological alterations are clearly advantageous for TG/TS individuals
who begin the transition process later in life, as they may obviate the
need for weight reduction for genetic males, body building for genetic females
and minor cosmetic procedures for both.
Family Relationships. Long-standing family relationships are frequently
altered when an older person reveals his or her gender identity. Most family
roles are gender-based; parenthood, brother and sister roles, grandparenthood,
and other aspects of the family constellation must shift to accommodate
the new gender role. Young children frequently have the least difficulty
accepting cross-dressing, transgendered and gender-transitioning relatives,
yet their parents' distress and prejudicial attitudes may cause upheavals
in even the youngest generation's relationship with a TG/TS older relative.
Long-time spouses or partners of transitioning elders must cope not only
with their partner's changing identity, but also with the threats it poses
to their own sexual orientation, social standing and sense of familial security.
Some choose to continue their existing relationship, but many do not. Those
who do stay together often redefine their relationships.
More versatile couples can maintain a sexual partnership, which may or
may not include a change in the nontransgendered partner's sexual identity.
Others choose to adopt new roles, defining their connection, for example,
as that of friends or siblings. Even when the families are supportive, such
adjustments take time and effort and may be wrenching for everyone.
Sexuality and Intimacy. The greatest obstacle to sexual expression
among older adults, particularly heterosexual women, is the lack of suitable
partners. A single MTF transsexual who undertakes gender transition later
in life is therefore more likely to experience sexual deprivation than would
have been the case had the individual continued to be perceived as male.
And because the genitals of few FTMs look and function the way genetic men's
do, FTMs face the daunting prospect of having to come out to potentially
rejecting or hostile new sexual partners.
On the other hand, most transsexuals experience a positive development
of personal sensuality when they finally are able to live in congruence
with their deepest perceptions of their own gender. Professionals can assist
in this regard by validating the sexual potential of their older clients,
offering counseling and education when needed, and assisting family members
to accept their older relative's gender presentation and sexuality.
Professional Responsibilities. In the case of TG/TS and cross-dressing
individuals, the typical life transitions of the elder years are compounded
by a number of issues: disclosure and privacy; isolation from peers; specialized
healthcare needs; and the potential of ostracism and negative judgments
from healthcare professionals and other care providers.
Service providers can best assist these clients by providing them with
information regarding the importance of routine healthcare, including preventive
services; by arranging referrals to supportive providers; and by educating
others involved in the client's care about gender diversity. This last endeavor
must include medical, nursing and social work colleagues, as well as unskilled
and semiskilled assistants.
In addition, professionals in the field of aging can help improve the
quality of life of older members of the gender community by facilitating
formation of support groups; educating leaders of existing groups, such
as those operated by religious organizations and gay, lesbian and bisexual
networks; and specifically including transgendered people in visible roles
within retirement communities, health center programs and other service
networks.
T. M. Witten is director of the International Longitudinal Transgender
and Transsexual Aging Research (ILTTAR) Institute in San Antonio, Texas.
A. Evan Eyler is a family physician who has worked extensively with
transgendered patients. She practices in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Cathy Weigel works in the Comprehensive Gender Services Program of
the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor.
Note: This article is available in a longer version with citations.
Contact T. M. Witten, ILTTAR Institute, 12846 Maple Park Drive, San Antonio,
TX 78249; e-mail: tmwitten@earthlink.net.
copyright © 2001
American Society on Aging; all rights reserved.
American Society on Aging
833 Market St., Suite 511
San Francisco, CA 94103
www.asaging.org
info@asaging.org
|
|
| |
OutWord | newsletter | article, | "Transsexuals, | Transgenders, | Cross-Dressers: | Issues | for | Professionals | in | Aging" |
|
http://www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/outword-063.html
Transsexuals, Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging 2008 July
dvd rental
dvd
OutWord newsletter article, "Transsexuals, Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging"
Rules
|
© 2008 Internet Explorer 5+ or Netscape 6+
|
|
Recommended Sites: 1.
Arts -
Business -
Computers -
Games -
Health -
Home -
Kids and Teens -
News -
Recreation -
Reference -
Regional -
Science -
Shopping -
Society -
Sports -
World
Miss Gallery
- Top Anime Hentai
- DVD rental by mail
- Power Rangers - Buy Anything On eBay - Bad Credit Loan - Web Advertising - Debt Consolidation
|
