Navigating my gender transition and my place in the NHS – a staff story
Jake (he/they), Communications Assistant and co-chair of the Rainbow network, shares their story for LGBTQ+ History Month.
I was 16 when I first realised that I was transgender. Up until then, I had always felt uncomfortable in myself, but I never understood why. Moving from an all-girls school to a mixed-gender college gave me the space to explore myself. I started wearing my brother’s hand-me-down clothes and, for the first time, something felt right.
Back in the early 2010s, there wasn’t much information about trans people in the media. There were no role models, no clear guidance. If you wanted answers, you had to dig for them on online forums or support groups. That was the start of years navigating the NHS, being passed between mental health services, my GP, the children’s gender identity clinic. I was 20 by the time I finally started testosterone—four years after my first appointment.
The hardest part of my journey was going through it alone. My family weren’t supportive at the time, and I felt like I had to educate and support them while also figuring everything out for myself. By 18, I was living independently, travelling four hours alone to the nearest gender clinic, not knowing when my next appointment would be or when I might finally receive medical treatment. The waiting, the uncertainty, and the deep dysphoria were exhausting.
Even after starting testosterone, accessing healthcare wasn’t always straightforward. Back in the 2010’s, transgender healthcare was very new, and I encountered healthcare professionals who were uncertain about continuing my prescription. There were also moments when seeking medical care became unexpectedly difficult. At times, people would ask about my gender identity in ways that felt intrusive or unnecessary, and I wasn’t always sure if it was related to the care I was receiving.
That’s why it felt almost ironic when I started working for the NHS, the same organisation I had struggled with for so long. At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. But being on the other side has changed my perspective. I’ve met colleagues who care deeply about making healthcare better and more inclusive. I’ve seen first-hand the dedication of staff who want to support trans patients in ways I never experienced when I was younger.
Working for the NHS has given me hope. I know change is possible, and I want to be part of making sure the next trans person navigating the system doesn’t have to do it alone. I hope my colleagues feel empowered to treat trans patients with the confidence, knowledge, and respect they deserve, because that can make all the difference.
