Yesterday, I watched the documentary 'Southern Comfort' on LOGO tv. It is about the journey of Robert Eads, a female to male transsexual who eventually dies of ovarian cancer. Twenty refused to treat Roberts Eads because there feared that it would upset their clients. Question: why are these people in the medical profession? As a African-American I'm not surprised by this lack of compassion. It was a short time ago in America that black people were not admitted into a white hospital or clinic. Charles Drew, the inventor of the modern day blood bank, died of injuries suffered in a car accident in the 1950 south because hospitals would not admit him. People of color, immigrants, and the poor still receive inferior medical treatment in some places.
Transgender people face the same daunting fears. The community center here held a Trans health fair this past June, the first of its kind. It is a positive step toward the medical establishment understanding what transgender face. Watching the documentary inspired me to write this blog because it reminds me that there is still so much to do. Fighting for equality takes courage, skill, and perserverance.