I hate bringing this up in this current climate of hate, but how can I fully live as they/them if the NHS doesn't even bother with making me feel accepted?
And why is this still a thing?
Each time I turn up for an appointment, and I'm called 'Miss', or referred to as 'this lady', or 'she', it takes another little swipe at me.
Even when you say, 'My pronouns are' and explain over and over again, they keep referring back to 'Well, we work on what gender you were assigned'.
When will it be possible to have a list of organs that you can select from, instead of being labelled what you aren't? Some people don't have the organs that come with that label! Some don't want to have!
When will there be meaningful training for NHS staff on looking at your record and seeing if you have pronouns listed before they call on you, or at least just call out your name instead of 'Miss X', etc.
Hi Arlandria
I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing this and I can understand your frustration.
it does seem that more training is needed for some NHS staff on the importance of using the preferred pronouns.
My circumstances are different but I have had many cancer related appointments and for 90 % of them they call out my first name rather than the middle name that I am known as. I found it really frustrating to point it out each time, notes were made on my record but still they would use the first name during appointments. Even during chemo sessions where I was in all day- they would use the wrong name and eventually I gave up explaining!
I wonder if it would be worth you contacting PALS at your hospital to share your experience and make the suggestions about further training. I will pop a link below.
What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)? - NHS
Jane
