Trans Day of Visibility 2020

Equinox would like to wish the trans and gender diverse (TGD) community a wonderful day of visibility, albeit from home, on our computers! In response to COVID-19, we have fully embraced telehealth at Equinox and are able to provide essential services including prescriptions and pathology request forms for HRT monitoring by phone, fax and post. If you need to see your doctor, we can arrange Skype or Facetime appointments. In addition, you can still make appointments for Thursday mornings when we have our Nurse Practitioner providing hormone injections. We hope everyone stays safe during these challenging times and we are working hard to ensure our services remain available to our community. You can find out more about Equinox at www.equinox.org.au.

The Trans and Gender Diverse in Community Health (TGDiCH) Training Project is providing TGD-led, evidence-based, state-wide training by and for health professionals - helping to create safe access to healthcare for transgender and gender diverse people in Victoria. Our program is free for eligible health professionals, and enquiries can be made at thorneharbour.org/tgdich

Our partners at Your Community Health, Ballarat Community Health and Austin Health have created a Victoria-wide Trans and Gender Diverse Community Health Service which can currently provide appointments and dedicated support with GPs, counsellors, psychologists, a psychiatrist and endocrinologists trained in trans and gender diverse affirmative practice. To access these services, visit www.yourcommunityhealth.org.au/serviceaccess/trans-and-gender-diverse-health

Transgender Victoria and the Department of Premier and Cabinet are working to map, connect and support trans and gender diverse peer support groups across the state, with programs such as SPARK providing training, resources and a community network. More information on this project can be found at www.transgendervictoria.com/projects/peer-support

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our Trans Advisory Group membership who provide guidance, advice and support to Thorne Harbour Health (THH) in the provision of safe and inclusive trans and gender diverse (TGD) health and wellbeing services, as well as all of our TGD staff and volunteers.

As we find ourselves dealing with COVID-19, those most marginalised by the healthcare system may face further barriers when it comes to healthcare access. Now more than ever, with gender-affirming medical services delayed and extra stress on our mental health and wellbeing, it’s important to stop and remember the fabulous services that are still running for our communities, and it’s imperative that we keep up the fight to end transphobic discrimination within the healthcare system. If you’re a healthcare professional, consider how you can contribute to a safer world for TGD people today. For TGD community members, you are not alone - reach out to your local or online peer support service if you need to. We’re in this together, and together we will get through this. We are here for you.