by Marcy Keefe, FNP

“Just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean it isn’t so” ~Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

I grew up on a farm in a small town of fewer than 3,000 people in rural Wisconsin in a family riddled with mental health afflictions. I have always felt like I am awash in a sea of emotions and struggle to find the best words for this, maybe because I was essentially alone for the majority of my formative years. I felt scared, vulnerable and yearned for a safe haven that would protect me from an abusive father and a neglectful mother.

I feel this same yearning from many of my patients as they, too, seek a safe place and have the simple wish to be heard and validated. In preparation for writing this blog I read over the previous posts. It’s no wonder our gender-diverse clients feel a profound lack of safety. We have clearly documented the harsh political climate and lack of equity in healthcare as it pertains to transgender people, particularly trans people of color.

My patients are often scared, isolated and families are lost. Thich Nhat Hanh says “Deep listening is the kind of listening that can relieve the suffering of another.” I have the privilege and honor to create a space that is safe where authenticity is valued and I believe it in these moments that healing takes place.

I am hopeful that our individual voices in those sacred moments in exam rooms combined with those of strong collective supportive organizations such as the ACLU, TENT, Equality Texas, and various medical organizations can begin to make a wave of change. Nobody should feel alone or scared to simply be themselves.

“Politics has no place here. Transgender children, like all children, just want to belong. We will fight state by state, in the courts and on the national stage to make sure they know they do.” ~ Statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, March 29, 2021.