For the girls

Featured Trans* Jersey

Truvision Launched

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The States of Jersey Police today released their newest weapon in combatting hate crime – Truvision, an online tool that enables anyone in the community who experiences an hate crime to report it.

Some facts you should know about hate crime –

  • Hate crime happens in Jersey;
  • Hate crime can happen to anyone not just people from minority groups;
  • A hate crime happens where it is perceived that the perpetrator’s hostility or prejudice against any person or property is on the grounds of the victim’s ethnicity (race), sexual orientation, gender identity (including transgender), religion, disability;
  • Hate crimes and incidents have one of the highest repeat victimisation rates;
  • Hate crime can take many forms including physical assault; criminal damage to property; verbal abuse – name calling; intimidation; harassment;
  • The perpetrator of the hate crime doesn’t not have to be right about their reason for hating the victim, e.g. calling a straight person “gay” and beating them up for this misconception is still a hate crime;
  • Hate crime does not have to happen to you to report it – you can report a hate crime you have witnessed;
  • Hate crime can have a long lasting (longer lasting than other crimes) effect on the mental health of the victim;
  • The police take hate crime seriously.

Hate crime is under reported across the UK (including Jersey and, particularly, by the trans community) for a number of reasons – one of which is that some people are wary of talking to the Police face-to-face or over the phone. Maybe they don’t trust the Police because they had a bad experience in the past or maybe they feel they won’t explain themselves clearly enough to be taken seriously. Truvision addresses this problem.

Truvision allows reports to be made anonymously or you can elect to leave your contact details for a follow up. You can also report a hate crime on behalf of someone else who, perhaps, doesn’t have Internet access or the ability to use a computer. Importantly, if you report a hate crime using Truvision, anonymously or otherwise, your report will be added to the statistics on hate crime in Jersey, giving the Police a much better idea of how widespread the problem is.

To find out more, visit report-it.org.uk/states_of_jersey

Trans* Jersey

TotalJobs survey shows things are getting better

The infographic from TotalJobs’ recent survey of trans employees shows that things are getting better in the workplace but there is still work to be done. Recent high profile positive media events, such as the success of TV shows like “Transparent” and “Boy Meets Girl”, seem to have had a knock-on effect in the workplace in terms of raising awareness about trans issues. You can read more about the survey results here.
What’s it like to be a trans employee?

Trans* Jersey

Mx title now available

socsecTrans* Jersey has been contacted by the Social Security Department to let us know that Mx has now been included as a gender neutral title option in their computer systems. This is good news for all those who identify as in between the simple binary of man or woman.
The department have issued the following statement about the change: “Transgender people in Jersey will be protected against discrimination from September this year and so this is an appropriate change for the Department to make to ensure that our customers are addressed by us as they wish to be addressed.

“We do not know yet whether any other States Departments intend to make a similar change.

“We have not changed the title options on any of our forms as this would require a much bigger piece of work, but it may happen in the future.”

They have also issued the following guidance to their employees:

What is Mx?
Mx is the most commonly used title that does not indicate gender (i.e. instead of Mr, Mrs, Miss etc) and it may be used by people who do not identify as either a man or woman. It may be  pronounced as ‘mux’, ‘mix’ or ‘mixter’. Mx has been adopted by many major national institutions in the UK and is a permitted title option for the DWP, DVLA, HMRC, NHS, Identity and Passport Service, Post Office, some local city councils and banks, universities and utilities companies.

What this means for the customer
A customer may request that their title is recorded in our systems as Mx.  If a customer requests this, you simply make the change. We do not need any details or explanation of why this is the customer’s preference. You should never make assumptions or offer this option to a customer if they have not requested it.

When a customer makes this request, it would be appropriate for you to explain the extent to which Mx will be used in our correspondence with them in the future, i.e. letters and cheques.

Video Trans* Jersey

Hormone information

Information on hormones and hormone therapy from a US based gender therapist. Some of the advice offered is relevant to the USA only so you should use these videos as a general guide and check out the specifics of hormone therapy and your situation with your own gender therapist:

Video Trans* Jersey

Make-up application tips

This is the first in a series of seven YouTube videos made by Jennifer Cohen-Taylor about how to apply make-up for a natural everyday look. As an older transwoman herself, Jenny’s advice is great for those of you learning this skill later in life. There is nothing hopelessly ambitious in these videos. They’re not trying to give you a look that’s too young or too glamorous.

This is the first in a ten part series of YouTube videos made by Life Image Style Consulting LLC that teaches basic make-up application techniques to achieve an appropriate look for daytime. Gwen uses Sabrina, a young transwoman, as her model.

Video Trans* Jersey

Tips to help you find your voice

Introduction to transgender voices and an interesting app for iPhones and Samsung Galaxy 3 that can be downloaded here.

What does your voice sound like to other people? Vocal coach Chris Beatty explains how you can hear what others hear.

For the guys, how to develop a deep voice:

For the girls, this is the first in a series of nine videos by DeepStealth:

Trans* Jersey

Pathway to care achieved

Trans* Jersey met with Helen O’Shea, Managing Director of the General Hospital, and Richard Jouault, Managing Director of Community and Social Services, today. As a result, we have now had the pathway to care for trans* islanders confirmed, and it is as shown.

Trans* Jersey will be working on getting this into a form that can be distributed to all GPs’ surgeries so that, as the first point of contact for trans* people, doctors know who to refer to and can advise their patients on the pathway to care.

This is the first of our 2014 manifesto goals to be realised. We are, therefore, grateful to the States of Jersey’s health service professionals for their openness and time to assist us, and to those trans islanders who shared their experiences of the health service in Jersey and the UK.

System

Trans* Jersey

MtF surgery

All surgery is optional. You should not feel that you have to have surgery to validate your transition from M to F. You should have surgery because you want to have surgery and for no other reason.

Bottom surgery
This refers to genital reconstruction surgery (GRS), ie. a penectomy and orchidectomy to remove the male genitalia and plastic surgery (vaginoplasty, clitoroplasty, labioplasty and repositioning of the urethra) to provide you with a genital appearance that is virtually indistinguishable from natal born women. The phases of the operation are done in one procedure under general anaesthetic and takes about five hours. The Looking Glass Society has a great section on the variety of surgical methods and their advantages and disadvantages.

When considering bottom surgery, manage your expectations. Post-surgery interviews reveal that 98% of transwomen are satisfied with the physical results of their surgery. However, the surgery is irreversible so you need to consider the emotional implications carefully. You will not be able to have children after surgery (unless you make a deposit with a sperm bank first), you may find that your relationship with your partner changes dramatically post-surgery, with potential loss, and genital surgery won’t change how people behave towards you in public life.

There are no surgeons available on the island to undertake this procedure so you will need to go to the UK or abroad if you want GRS. If you are being treated through the NHS, you will be offered a list of approved surgeons to choose from. If you wish to go privately, you can choose from surgeons in private practice all over the world. However, you will need to research the best person for your needs and your budget.

Do your research. Look at the numerous blogs and YouTube videos uploaded by transwomen describing their experiences. Visit some of the forums for transwomen and post questions asking about their experiences. Don’t forget to ask about any emotional reactions to the surgery as well as the physical results. Most transwomen are happy to share this information.

surgeryOther surgery
This comes in several parts. The Looking Glass Society explains the range of surgical options available to transwomen. It is exceedingly rare for any of these procedures to be funded through the health service. If you wish to undergo one of these options, you should be prepared to fund it privately.

You will not be surprised to learn that there are no surgeons with the required skills to perform these operations in the island. You are therefore looking at travel costs again and, because of the complexity of some procedures, several trips to the UK or abroad may be needed.

Facial feminising surgery and rhinoplasty
This refers to plastic surgery to feminise the face and/or remodel the nose. Some transwomen find that, even after HRT, their facial features retain a heaviness that is masculine in appearance and does not allow them to pass as they would like to. Cosmetic surgery can help to alleviate this problem.

Thyroid chondroplasty (tracheal shave)
For transwoman who have a very prominent ‘Adam’s Apple’, this procedure can reduce it by making a small horizontal incision in a natural crease-line on the neck and removing part of the thyroid cartilage.

Augmentation mammoplasty (breast enlargement)
Even after one or two years on HRT, some transwomen are unhappy with the breast growth resulting naturally. They, therefore, consider having implants. There are a number of options available now that are alternatives to silicone so do your research to find out which would suit your requirements best.

Hair transplantation
HRT will thicken the existing hair but many transwomen who transition later in life find that they retain a male pattern hairline. Hair transplantation can be effective in “filling in” the gaps at the front of the hairline to produce a more feminine line.

The same advice applies to these surgeries as for GRS: manage your expectations and do your research thoroughly.

Trans* Jersey

MtF finance

Even if you take the publicly funded healthcare route to manage your transition, the costs are higher for trans* islanders than for trans* individuals in the UK because we have to travel to see the specialists who can assist us to transition.

For those transwomen with island medical insurance policies, you will find that they specifically do not cover any treatment relating to gender reassignment.

Below are some of the costs that you will need to fund whichever transition route you follow:

Travel
Flights to the UK for consultations with your therapist. You will need to budget for more than one visit. Depending on how your therapy goes, you could be visiting regularly for a while. The cheapest flights from Jersey to the UK are on the Gatwick route so take this into consideration when you and your GP select your therapist. Your appointment should only be an hour so you should be able to get over and back in the day. Also, remember to budget for the Gatwick Express into London and transport in London.

GP visits
You will need to visit your GP more regularly than usual to keep them updated on progress, to ask for referrals, to have bloods taken to check your hormone levels and to ask their advice on a range of issues. Budget for about one every two months during your first two years of transition.

Change of name
The costs given below are approximate. They may change.

Deed poll prepared by Jersey advocate and sworn in Royal Court: £435
New driving licence: £40
New passport: £75
Passport photographs: £5

See the change of name page for more details.

Devices for passing
Some transwomen like to use breastforms and gaffs to assist them in passing. Breastforms start at about £30 and can go up as high as £750 for realistic skin tone, shape and nipples. Gaffs are around £35-£50. For more information about suppliers see the help page.

financeBelow are some of the costs that are optional depending on how you manage your transition. You may elect to go completely private, completely public through the States and NHS systems, or do a mixture of private and public:

Gender therapy
For those who wish to see a gender therapist privately in the UK, an hour’s consultation will cost about £200.

Hormone therapy
For those who wish to see an endocrinologist privately in Jersey, an hour’s consultation will cost about £280.

Surgery
Bottom surgery (GRS): costs vary depending on the surgical procedure being undertaken. Orchiectomy: £3,000 app. Cosmetic genital reconstruction surgery without vaginoplasty: £9,500 app. Vaginoplasty (penile inversion): £10,800 app. Colon vaginoplasty: £13,000 app.

If you go abroad for surgery, don’t forget to add in the travel, accommodation and food costs. For GRS, for example, you won’t be able to fly for a least a week afterwards, which means a hotel bill. Full recovery time is six to twelve weeks.

Top surgery: costs vary depending on the type of breast augmentation surgery being undertaken. There are two types of implant commonly used. However, you can expect to pay between £3,500 and £5,000.
Facial feminising surgery: costs vary depending on the surgery being undertaken, and there is a large range of procedures you can have done. You can pay anything from £1,000 for a minor procedure to £10,000 for a full facelift.

See the surgery page for more details of MtF surgery.

Funding
The truth is transitioning costs the trans* individual and, because it is still seen as a choice rather than a necessity, especially by insurers, there is little financial help available.

Try to put away £100 of your salary every month into a transition fund or hold a ‘transition fund’ event where friends and family show their support by donating as much or as little as they want without embarrassment.

Don’t fund your transition through credit cards or pay-day loans. These are the worst ways to borrow money as the interest rates are so high. If you need to borrow, talk to your bank about a loan. Trans* Jersey has contacted NatWest bank in Jersey and they have confirmed that they would do a personal loan for treatment or surgery and that anyone who approached them would be treated sensitively and with discretion. Criteria for the loan would be the standard requirements, ie. any person wanting a loan will need to bank with NatWest for 6 months, have a regular income mandated to the account and be able to afford the loan. Anyone seeking this sort of facility can contact Tanya Nerac, Assistant Relationship Manager, in the first instance who is one of our trans* allies.