helpfulqueerinfo

[helpfulqueerinfo]

Let me introduce myself…

I’m Justin! I live in Washington, and kind of California. I have a 2 year old golden retriever, Baxter, and a 6 year old cat, Leo. When I’m not working I spend my time playing video games, watching movies/shows, learning new songs on the guitar/piano, and cooking.

As far as my transition history, it goes like this…

Started T shots in April 2015

Had top surgery with Dr Tuchler (Irvine, CA) in July 2015

Had a full hysterectomy with Dr Cambria (Irvine, CA) in February 2017

Had single stage RFF phalloplasty with Drs Safa/Chen/Watt (San Francisco, CA) in November 2018

Had Fat grafting done on my arm with Watt in June 2019

Had inflatable erectile device put in with Dr Chi (Los Angeles, CA) in December 2019

I have another surgery coming up with Dr Chen (San Fran) in Sept 2022

I know this blog has been kind of (okay, a lot) MIA over the past few years. I hope you can forgive me.

I’d like to get things going again. So let me know if you have any questions, or want to see some specific things. I want to help educate and be of service in anyway that I can.

Growth is one of the best things a person can go through.

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Truth.

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Healthcare Resources

Accessing healthcare in the United States while disabled is complicated, and navigating the medical world can be intimidating– especially for low-income, LGBTQ, and other multiply-marginalized individuals.

Listed below is a constantly-growing collection of resources that may help empower patients.

Free and Discounted Health Centers

Free clinic finder:  http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf

Free and charitable clinic finder:  http://www.nafcclinics.org/clinics/search

Another free clinic finder:  https://www.pparx.org/prescription_assistance_programs/free_clinic_finder

Guide to finding low income care, as well and resources and other tips:  http://www.hrsa.gov/gethealthcare/index.html

Planned Parenthood clinic finder:  https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center

An assortment of free and low-cost clinics, including walk-in:  http://www.freeclinics.com/

Free medical and dental clinic directory:  http://freeclinicdirectory.org/

Medication Assistance

Co-pay relief: http://www.patientadvocate.org/help.php?p=90

Prescription assistance: http://www.needymeds.org/pap

More prescription assistance: https://www.pparx.org/prescription_assistance_programs

Tips to save on prescriptions:http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/save_help_on_prescription_drug.html

Low-Income Dental

Free and sliding scale dental: http://www.needymeds.org/free-dental-clinics

Free dental clinic finder: http://www.freedentalcare.us/

Dental clinic finder: http://www.dentalclinics.org/

LGBTQ+ Healthcare Resources

Healthcare bill of rights:  http://healthcarebillofrights.org/Read-The-Bill

Healthcare discrimination protection information: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/health-care-antidiscrimination-laws-protecting-32296.html

LGBTQ+ affrmative health provider directory: http://www.glma.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=939&grandparentID=534&parentID=938&nodeID=1

Tips for finding an LGBTQ+ friendly provider: http://www.thecentersd.org/pdf/health-advocacy/how-to-find-and-lgbt-friendly.pdf

Fat-Specific Healthcare Resources

Directory of fat-friendly healthcare providers: http://fatsafemedical.tumblr.com/

Another list of fat-safe providers: http://fatfriendlydocs.com/

List of evidence countering typical fat-phobic arguments:  http://www.fatnutritionist.com/index.php/articles-evidence/

Note: While I have investigated each site, I do not have personal experience with all of them.

Finding medical treatment while poor and/or uninsured often means a lot of phone calls and some negotiating. Be persistent– you deserve access to care!

[helpfulqueerinfo]

Tips for Allies of Transgender People

- You can't tell if someone is transgender just by looking.

- Don't make assumptions about a transgender person's sexual orientation.

-  If you don't know what pronouns to use, listen first.

- Don't ask a transgender person what their "real name" is.

-  Understand the differences between "coming out" as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and "coming out" as transgender.

-  Be careful about confidentiality, disclosure, and "outing."

-  Respect the terminology a transgender person uses to describe their identity.

-  Be patient with a person who is questioning or exploring their gender identity.

-  Understand there is no "right" or "wrong" way to transition, and that it is different for every person.

-  Don't ask about a transgender person's genitals, surgical status, or sex life.

-  Avoid backhanded compliments and "helpful" tips

-  Challenge anti-transgender remarks or jokes in public spaces, including LGB spaces.

-  Support all-gender public restrooms.

- Help make your company or group truly trans-inclusive.

-  At meetings and events, set an inclusive tone.

-  Listen to transgender people.

-  Know your own limits as an ally.

Here is the website that I pulled from. It goes more into depth about everything mentioned above.

https://www.glaad.org/transgender/allies

[helpfulqueerinfo]

Yes, queer people date! And the boundaries are sometimes strange!

Unlike many cisgender/heterosexual relationships, LGBTQ+ relationships can be harder to understand and create.

Therefore, do not be afraid to be up front with someone you really like. But make sure your safety is guaranteed. Do not release information on your wherabouts unless you can verify they are who they say they are.

As for any date in general:

1. ALWAYS notify someone you know about what time your date is, the location(s) you are expecting to be and when you should be expecting to be finished.

2. Take your own car/separate transportation modes.

3. Use apps that will send you a fake text or call to get out of a date, apps that track your location and notify a friend/family if you don't arrive at a certain location, and other apps like bSafe and Circleof6.

Have a happy and safe month of Valentines and love!

And listen- I am a single person, and I am still standing! Please do not feel hopeless about your current situation.

If you are in a good relationship: cherish it and always work on ways to improve it via communication and spontaneity.

If you are in a bad relationship: please tell anyone that you trust, in which that person has the ability and sense to contact higher authority to keep you safe in case of physical abuse- seek counsel as soon as possible.

If you are in no relationship at all: love comes in all sorts of forms and at different time periods of our lives! Maybe there isn't such thing as "the one" who is the one and only. Maybe we have people who are "the one" for certain times in our lives. Not everyone can keep up with our constant changing and molding and creating. And that is okay. Love while you can- love your friends, your family, your pets, your job, your identity. Love and spread the love because there is a trickle-down effect on good things. And so long as you keep looking to receive it instead of giving it, you will find yourself disappointed more so.

I hope everyone is having a lovely month so far. If you are in need of resources or in-depth information about certain topics, please feel free to send it via the ask box!

Embedded links: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/10/08/queer-users-guide-wild-terrifying-world-lgbt-dating-apps/

https://www.glaad.org/amp/navigating-dating-world-trans-person

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/12/18/571086219/on-a-bad-date-these-apps-could-help-you-stay-safe

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How is everyone doing today? Name one thing to look forward to in order to get through this week!

Feel free to reply or send it in the ask box!

All may, none must!

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Too everyone who feels conscious about their height! I know I do!

For height-dysphoric trans men - list of shorter male celebrities.

Posted by @ TRANSFlNN on twitter

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if this 5000 year old tree isn’t too old to realize that its trans neither are you

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"So at twenty-two, as a somewhat-sexually-active vagina-owner, I was a perfectly eligible person to receive my first pap smear. My primary care physician could do it alongside the rest of my annual checkup, skipping the awkward waiting in the gynecologist office as a transmasculine man. I also got my second HPV shot that comes in a series of three- my first shot being in my early high school years several, several years ago.

Results came back showing negative for other things tested such as chlamydia amd gonorrhea. I did show signs of some abornal cells, which could just be because I am battling an HPV infection.

What?

Unbeknownst to me, I was fighting one of the most common STIs with over 3 million cases per year. I had no physical symptoms and was always safe. But safe to what extent? You can get contact via oral sex of someome who is infected."

Education of your own health as well as your partner's health is a MUST! It is simply being safe so that neither party feels worried anytime during the sexual encounter, especially with Valentine's Day right around the corner- it may be cuffing season for some.

Embedded links:

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv

https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/sex/a12180220/lgbtq-safe-sex/

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Comment on this post something that you want to be focused on in February!

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Hey I'm a trans guy interested in running the blog for you :)

Hello! I am not sure if the primary admin has reached out to you yet- I will get in contact with them to see where they are at. Thanks!

--Iain--

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New Admin!

 Hello all! I am one of the new admins/moderators of this blog! My name is Iain Mason (that’s my first name) and I am a transgender male that uses he/him/his pronouns. I will end all the posts I create with my name, in case the other admins post things that I am not up-to-date on. I have a picture of me at the end of this post!

I am still exploring a little more to see what all has already been set up in this Tumblr but I will definitely be working on it! I think that having an easier layout would be something to benefit from. 

I will be working over the next weeks on this page and I would love any feedback. Two weeks ago, I fractured my sacrum (a larger bone located in the back of your pelvis at the end of your tailbone) from an unsuccessful snowboarding jump and so I am on crutches and told to stay off my feet as much as possible. 

There is a chance I may repeat topics but I will try to insert new knowledge. I will also try to expand this page to also focus on mental health, and possibly (if you all wanted) I would touch on subjects such as sexuality as well. Mental health is extremely important especially because LGBTQ+ people are three times as likely to experience mental illness over straight/cisgender people.  On top of that, transgender people have a higher likelihood of substance abuse, withholding sexual practice information from their physicians, as well as postponing or avoiding medical care. Hence the need to insert information that is not just related to transgender topics!

Here, I will post helpful information, positive articles, as well as personal experiences that will hopefully help in any way. 

Please feel free to send an ask or a message in the inbox here! 

--Iain Mason--

[helpfulqueerinfo]

things to update after a legal name change!

Social security card

Driver’s license

Passport

Birth certificate

Employer HR

Bank account

Credit card company

Car insurance

Health insurance

Utilities

Cell phone account

Voter registration

Your school

Professional organizations (for nursing, bar, teaching, etc.)

Doctor’s office & other health specialists

TV & internet

Paypal

*Please add to this list if you can think of anything else!!!

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How Phalloplasty Works

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This video may be helpful for those that want to lower their voice.

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Jake Edwards is FTM and this is his song “World’s Most Awful Song”

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After A Transition: When Should I Come Out to People? . . . Do I Have To?