Transcript
Now that I have my surgery date, I just have to wait...
I get the sense I'll need all the patience in my body. Waiting for the big day, waiting to recover, waiting to see my results.
Of course, going private sped up a lot of the waiting already.
I'm lucky to have been able to save enough money for it.
But there's still plenty of waiting involved, don't worry!
Arrow annotating a dreaming little guy: "can't remember a time when he hasn't wanted a flat chest"
My scarring should be fairly minimal once healed, but my chest will be asymmetrical.
Author Comment:
For those unfamiliar with the experience of trying to access trans healthcare in the UK, it is possible to get gender affirming care on the NHS, but the waitlists are extremely long.
The "there's still plenty of waiting involved, don't worry" line is a jab at the myth that accessing gender affirming healthcare is "too easy / too quick".
As of writing this comment, if I'd joined the waitlist when I first came out, 6 years ago, there is a good chance that I would still be waiting for a first appointment now.
When it comes to trans healthcare here, you can either pay in time, or in money.
Philosophy Tube has a video about the "trying to access gender affirming healthcare in the UK" experience: I Emailed My Doctor 133 Times: The Crisis In the British Healthcare System