My Care | FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about your healthcare now and in the future.
View each section by tapping the topics below.
Welcome to My Care | FAQs
The My Care FAQs page covers healthcare topics, including general health care, transition care, sexual health care, mental health care, disability care, surgical care, serious illness care, long-term care, and end-of-life care, important to trans and gender-expansive adults and older adults. Under each topic you'll find a menu of sub-topics, each with answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Q | Should FAQs be read in a certain order? FAQs do not have to be read in any particular order. Feel free to check out the ones that are most interesting to you.
Q | How often is this information updated? Information that is quickly evolving, especially related to policy changes, will be monitored and updated on a quarterly basis. All other information will be reviewed and updated annually. This means that information that changes between updates may be temporarily out of date. Look for timestamps on each FAQ page to keep track of the most recent updates.
Q | Can’t find what you’re looking for? Transforming Choices provides the basics. For more specific information, consider talking to a trusted healthcare provider, posting to a community forum, asking a friend with experience in the healthcare system, or searching trusted sources online.
To read the FAQs on this page, first select a topic like general care, transition care, etc. that interests you. Then choose from sub-topics listed on the page by tapping the (+) signs. Questions and answers will drop down under each title. When you're finished reading, tap the (-) sign in the upper right corner of the box to close the dropdown before opening the next one.
Some FAQs have links to outside websites. These links are underlined in blue with a right arrow (→).
Keywords are underlined in pink under each FAQ. If you tap on a keyword, a pop-up message will appear with the definition so you do not have to navigate away from the FAQs page. At the top of each tab, you'll find a link to the glossary page with definitions for the full list of keywords.
My Care FAQs by Topic
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What makes healthcare different for me as a trans or gender-expansive person?
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I know there may be health challenges that are unique to trans people, especially people of color. What should I know?
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What does healthcare look like for transgender active-duty military and Veterans?
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What do I need to know about nutrition as a trans or gender-expansive person?
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Where can I find trans-affirming cooking tips?
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What should I know about COVID-19?
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What vaccines do I need as an older person?
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How do I find a LGBTQ-friendly healthcare provider? How do I know if a healthcare provider is LGBTQ-friendly?
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How can I find gender-affirming healthcare providers if I live in a rural area?
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How can I prepare myself for an appointment with a new healthcare provider? What questions would be important to ask?
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Why is it important for my healthcare team to know my sex assigned at birth and details about my transition?
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If I have to teach my provider about my care as a trans or gender-expansive person, what should I do?
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What can I do if a healthcare provider or staff member misgenders me or uses my birth name?
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What does it mean to transition medically, legally, or socially?
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How do I start my transition journey?
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What steps should I take to transition?
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Do I have to transition medically, surgically, legally, or socially?
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What should I expect after transitioning medically or surgically?
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What health screenings should I consider?
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If I start hormone therapy/HRT, what are some common medication interactions to watch out for?
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What are the long-term effects of hormone therapy/HRT?
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Where can I find more information about gender-affirming surgery?
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What gender-affirming surgeries are available?
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What should I know about the logistics of gender-affirming surgery?
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What should trans and gender-expansive people of color know about gender-affirming surgery?
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What does it mean to legally transition?
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If I change my legal name and gender marker, which documents need to be updated?
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Is it possible to start transitioning later in life? What if I have a health condition?
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What do I need to know about sexual health as a trans or gender-expansive person?
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How can I take care of my sexual health?
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What do I need to know about my sexual health care as an older trans person?
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What should I know about sexual and reproductive cancers?
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What should I know about HIV as a trans person?
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What do I need to know about healthcare for trans people engaged in sex work?
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Where can I get help if I am in a crisis?
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What should I know about getting support for my mental health and well-being?
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What is therapy and how can it help me?
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How do I find an affirming therapist?
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What is spiritual wellbeing and why is it important?
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What are some coping strategies I can use to support my mental health?
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What should I know about addiction and substance use conditions?
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How can I manage pain after surgery, including gender-affirming surgery, if I am in recovery from substance use?
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What is PTSD?
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Where can I find information or get help after a traumatic experience?
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What are the signs of abuse in a relationship?
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What should I consider about my mental health in retirement?
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How do I cope with loneliness as I get older?
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What is important for me to know about my healthcare if I have a disability or chronic illness?
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What resources are available for trans and gender-expansive people with disabilities?
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I have a new disability. What do I need to know and how do I cope?
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What is important to know about the care of trans people who are on the autism spectrum?
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Where can I find information about Social Security disability benefits?
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How can marriage affect disability benefits?
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Why does my surgical team need to know my transition history and my sex assigned at birth?
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What should I know about my care BEFORE a surgery?
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What should I know about my care DURING a surgery?
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What does care AFTER my surgery look like? What would I need?
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My housing situation is unstable. How would that impact my care after surgery?
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What do I need to know about care during a serious illness?
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What should I know if I go to the hospital for an emergency?
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If I have a serious illness, would I have to stop gender-affirming treatments and procedures?
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What do I need to know if I am a younger trans or gender-expansive person with a serious illness?
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What is long-term care?
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What should I think about when looking for long-term care?
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How do I know the quality of a long-term care facility?
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How can I find a LGBTQIA+ friendly long-term care facility?
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What rooming options would I have as a trans or gender-expansive person in a long-term care setting, like a nursing home or assisted living facility?
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What should I think about when it comes to care at the end of life?
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What does end-of-life care look like for people from different cultural backgrounds?
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What should I know about continuing my gender-affirming care at the end of life?
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What should I know about the care of my body after death?
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What if I would like explore options besides burial?
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What can I do to cope with grief and loss?
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