Assessing Gender: An Exploration of Transgender Individuals' Experiences of Assessments for Hormone Therapy or Surgery in Nova Scotia

Abstract

Transgender individuals living in Nova Scotia and wishing to undergo gender-confirming hormone therapy or surgery must participate in a mandatory mental health assessment to determine whether they meet the diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria. This project explores the experiences of eleven transgender individuals in Nova Scotia who had received an assessment for gender-confirming hormone therapy or surgery. It considers these experiences in light of a framework of medicalization, examines the range of experiences by considering the role of private and public systems, the experiences of the standard WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) model versus the emerging model of Informed Consent for access to care, and explores areas for change. This work presents an opportunity to listen to first-voice accounts of the experiences of trans Nova Scotians, and to use these to advocate for a more equitable and anti-oppressive healthcare system for transgender individuals wishing to access transition-related care.