Charing Cross

Suzanne accompanied me to Charing Cross Gender Clinic for my first appointment with them. We decided to let the train take the strain, rather than drive through London.

We travelled by over ground train to Tottenham Hale and the by underground train to Charring Cross. At Charing Cross we stopped for a coffee and a burger in Mc Donald's. The young girl serving us was quite polite and pleasant, but I was quite annoyed at her closing with "enjoy your meal, sir"! If I had more time I might have had a word with her manager it. I am sure she meant no harm in her statement. However, it is likely that other transsexual women use the store on there way to the gender clinic. In my mind it is pretty simple to get right. Either don't state the gender in the closing speech or use the gender that the person in front of you is portraying!

Suzanne was allowed to come into assessment room with me, which was a help as I would never have remembered all the details asked of me. Or remembered enough of what was said to relay it all to her afterwards.

As I suspected they are going to make me wait another three months for a second opinion and only after that will they consider prescribing hormones. I was assured that at least in my doctors opinion there is no reason why I should not receive the hormones though. My doctor has recommended me for speech therapy as he felt it might help me. I voiced my concern at not wanting to end up sounding false. However, I have agreed that if the therapy is geared towards me simply softening my masculine tones then it may be of some benefit.

I was rather happier to hear that my doctor will backdate my gender trial as I have enough documentary evidence that I have lived my life full time in the female gender role. So, I have already completed the first year.

A case can be made for breast augmentation if growth on hormones is deemed to be inadequate, but this seemed to be a little vague. One thing that might go against me there though is that I self prescribed for a couple of months in the past. I would argue that I followed a pretty standard regime offered to transsexual patients. My interpretation of the Harry Benjamin Guidelines is that I am more likely to receive hormone treatments as I had already self prescribed. So, it is a bit of a duel edged sword.