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Gender Affirming Care P.E.I. is looking to hire a trans health system navigator to help the trans community interact with the health-care system.
It’s a new position. Jocelyn Adams, the executive director, said the community deals with many barriers in health care and that can cause some people to avoid seeking support.
“A lot of health hesitation and just avoidance in general because of past trauma with health care or systems, or they’re not comfortable coming up to their family doctor, or they’re not comfortable coming out in their community and they just are looking for information,” she said.
Gender Affirming Care P.E.I. offers that approach as a first step. Adams says it’s become a full-time job, so a position opened up.
Adams says the job requires empathy and compassion. “There’s a lot of complex needs in the trans community, especially in rural communities where there’s isolation.”
The trans community on the Island is around 500 people, she said. Adams said broad approaches don’t really work, so the organization has to take a targeted approach.
One issue that’s been a deterrent for some is the electronic medical record keeping system.
If someone goes to the Health P.E.I. Gender Clinic it goes on their file. A doctor somewhere in a small town would be able to see that, which could make some uncomfortable, Adams said.
Adams said education and awareness are key. “Having a community-based friendly face to help with that little bit of hand-holding is a big difference.”
Another part of the job is to make sure primary care is more accessible for trans people through all stages of life, whether that be gynecological care or cancer screenings.
“We don’t really have a lot of trans elders, but with the growing acceptance and growing access to mental medical care, we’re gonna have to deal with these things in the future,” she said.
Peers Alliance social worker Henry Lyombya said having a trans health system navigator is important because the community is seeing an increase in experiencing transphobia on the Island and across Canada.
“When people feel that they’re not included, they step away. They create small communities and within those communities, we are seeing increasingly that they are vulnerable to using substances,” he said. “They are vulnerable to ending their lives.”
Lymobya said issues like isolation, racism, and discrimination can be addressed by creating spaces that are welcoming, inclusive, and equitable.
“The trans navigator position is aimed at reaching places where trans individuals are isolated in rural communities, but even in spaces where they are but they feel they’re not welcome. And so this is very important to the overall well-being of community.”
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