"I'm not getting paid to give you a TED talk on how my trans body works". Experiences of hysterectomy gender affirming surgery: A qualitative study.

Abstract

To explore the experiences of care surrounding hysterectomy as part of gender affirming surgery. An in-depth reflexive thematic analysis from accounts by 10 out of 12 people was undertaken. Experiences were then mapped to the surgery journey as a template for developing system responsiveness. No one person's experience of the procedure was affirmed across the entire surgery journey. Transgender health literacy was central to inclusive practice as it mediated bodily autonomy being upheld. The physical care environment influenced the experience, for example, the waiting room was marginalizing (intimidating), with a gendered clinic name and toilets. Some participants took a female support person/partner so that "people looking would assume that I was there supporting her, not the other way around." Communication misalignments were evident around information provided/understood about fertility and ovarian preservation. Participants were also placed in the position of both receiving care and providing education: "I also shouldn't have to be going in there for treatment, and then being expected to educate the medical professional that's meant to be helping me… I'm not getting paid to give you a TED talk on how my trans body works." The experiences mapped across the surgery journey highlighted multiple levels of service provision development needed to foster inclusive practice, for example, from workforce education to healthcare policy. Healthcare for transgender people can be unsafe and inequitable. Increasing transgender health responsiveness across the surgery journey will facilitate better alignments in communication and uphold bodily autonomy, leading to safer and inclusive practice.