Question To Trans People

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Even though I am not trans myself, I am taking a class in which I am learning about many aspects of the trans community. My question is: If you have heard of the term "gatekeeping", what is your definition of it?

FTM here.

Never heard of it when to applied transsexualism. It usually means limited access to something or controlled rate.

FTM myself and I've never head that before in my life.

i'm non-binary and currently in therapy for gender dysphoria along with a bunch of other things...

gatekeeping in the trans community is basically about all the hoops that the government and doctors make trans people go through to be recognized as their gender/get on hormones/have surgeries. most gatekeepers and cis people will tell you that it's in the best interest of the trans person (because it 'weeds out those who aren't really trans' or whatever) but most trans people believe it's a load of crap and can even be dangerous for some, especially trans women. people are trying to do away with gatekeeping and it's come a long way (a lot more places let you get your gender marker changed without surgeries), but there's still a lot of stuff that needs to be changed.

I transitioned seventeen years ago when gatekeepers weren't that prevalent. I am little bit ambivalent about them as sometimes I feel that they fulfill an important role. Most of the changes that we undertake are irreversable, and have come across those who wish to change their sex for lifestyle reasons. Thinking that living as a member of the opposite sex will be easier in some way, and it never is.

I believe that doing away with gatekeepers would significantly increase the costs of things like surgery. Given the litigeous nature of some, insurance premiums could go through the roof for the surgeons who carry out reassigment surgery, to the detriment of all. It wouldn't take many to sue their surgeon, getting awarded massive damages, for said surgeons to cease operating. This is what I perceive to be the reality of the world in which we live.

So members of the psychiatric professions who fill the role of gatekeeper are a necessary evil, by assessing those who apply as indeed being genuinely transsexual.

Not if you make people sign waivers...

In other areas people have been known to claim that they signed a waiver under duress, or a thousand and one other excuses, and still be awarded damages. The only really valid approach is for a surgeon to be able to pass the buck to a pShrink or similar who has seen an applicant over a period of time.

Not really. You could also reform the legal system so people can't launch lawsuits because they were allowed to be stupid.

I've never heard of the term, gatekeeping before. This is the first time I've heard of it.

Yep.
Most other transfolk I've talked to dislike gatekeepers also on heteronormative, cis normative discriminatory grounds. Breast augmentation for cis women or penis enlargement for cis men is also "irreversible" surgery, but there are no invasive medical hoops there. Others dislike the fact that in order to get surgeries done, you have to admit to having a 'disorder' which many transpeople don't believe in. You won't catch a consulting psychiatrist diagnosing a cis woman with a mental illness because she wants a boob job. Also, especially for younger people, getting a string of endless 'no' and blocks thrown in the way can lead quickly to self harm and suicide.

I had to go through a therapist in order to start Testosterone. The doctor I go to required it to assure my mental stability. She wouldn't have started me on hormones unless I seemed stable, so my therapist had to be the one to write the "OK" letter.

To be honest, I am on the fence about 'gatekeeping' itself. It can be an obstacle for some who don't really want to deal with others basically controlling what they can have. I do not like the idea, and hated the idea at the time when I needed "approval" to start on T. I don't like the idea of someone holding back something until I prove myself worthy of having it. That is what I call bs. I knew what I was getting myself into.

On the otherhand, I think it's a good idea to find a therapist that truly will help you and walk you along the way. Someone who will truly sync with you and is for your wellbeing. Starting hormones themselves can affect your mental states somewhat, I have noticed.

If it were only for the reason they say it's for (mental stability), I can sort of agree as this path can be rocky sometimes. Yet, I am sure there is more of a reason to the doctor restricting people from just waltzing in and starting the shots. I bet it's more for liability and of course money/insurance.

FTM here. What I've heard is that it's a typical thing of transexual people trying to exclude other trans* people (genderqueer and all). Personally, I think some of it is needed with some of the "genders" people make up on tumblr, but the exclusion of androgynous, bigender etc. people isn't right at all.

Uh, no. There is a lot of value in assessing the patient in making sure they're a good candidate. Most do not want decisions to be made that would increase the likelihood of bad outcomes.

There's a lot less value in encouraging a person likely to have a bad outcome and then hurling abuse at them when their outcomes are bad.

3rd party payers, both public and private, are likely to hold the same view.