eir` w - metro 406 " Hunter from page 8 MAPLE PHAiiMAC-kY GRA Maple Pharmacy offers: • Low Price Medications • 90 Day Supplies • Durable Medical Equipment • Diabetic Supplies • Natural Supplements, Vitamins and Nutraceuticals • Compounding bio-identical hormones, pain creams & other medications r 5829 Maple Rd. Ste. 129 (Btw. Orchard Lake & Farmington Rd.) West Bloomfield, Ml 48322 148./b/.1bU3 www.maplepharmacyrx.com FREE DELIVERY MAPLE PHARMACY $10 OFF 20% SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT purchase of OTC Medications & Vitamins with any new or transferred prescriptions. OUR MISSION IS TO BRING SERVICE BACK TO PHARMACY FOR A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER YO rr 1936330 ifirrir , - NO MORE MOSQUITOES, t PERIOD! k ,4 _Mos wt N ftil(°r THE MOSQUITO TERMINATOR 99.9% Effective Results! You Spend Your Time and Hard Earned Money to Keep Your Backyard Looking Nice,You Deserve to Enjoy it MOSQUITO FREE! For Ordering Please Visit: MosquitoOne.com or Call 734-922-5700 p I $25°' OFF Regular $74.95 Now $49,95 Single application only. First time client only. Expires 9/15/14. Discounts available for seasonal packages. were harassed or bullied in school, had low household income or were the vic- tims of physical assault, the suicide rates were even higher. Within that same study, 90 percent of the respondents said they had experi- enced harassment, discrimination and mistreatment in their places of employ- ment, and the instances of bullying from peers also was much higher. Bodily Changes Transitioning from one gender to another involves a unique set of medical and health care issues. Treatment options vary according to many factors; there is no one-size-fits-all approach to get from here to there. Hunter is currently taking hormone blockers to stop his menstrual cycles and wears a chest binder to achieve a more masculine appearance. For younger transgender children, there are puberty blockers that prevent the normal devel- opmental changes from occurring. "It's a way to buy time Roz said. "Once you go through puberty, you can't go back:" By the time Hunter confided in his parents, he knew he wanted to begin tes- tosterone hormone therapy, which causes changes that include a deeper voice, growth of facial and body hair, and mus- cular changes typically associated with a male physique. He is seeing a psychotherapist, which is required for transgender individuals who are considering hormone therapy. "They need to know you're not plan- ning on going back:' Hunter said. Like many transgender individuals, Hunter suffered from body dysphoria; there was a huge disparity between the self-image in his mind and the reflection in the mirror. "You look in the mirror and you don't see you:' he said. "That's not right. That's not supposed to be there. It's crippling:' Changing his appearance, which included a haircut and a new wardrobe, and becoming open about his gender identification has increased his confi- dence and improved his self-image. "I used to hate having my picture taken; now I'm jumping into pictures and photobombing all over the place he said. According to psychotherapist Alicia Mindlin, body image issues are common for many adolescents; for transgender teens, the problem is magnified from years of feeling different and knowing their bodies do not reflect the way they feel inside. She helps clients validate their emotions and decide on the best course of action, which is often transitioning from one gender to another. Alicia Mindlin Roz Keith and her son, Hunter "Being transgender is not a pathologi- cal condition:' Mindlin said. "It's like ... oops, nature got it wrong, so how do we correct it so things are right." In addition to testosterone therapy, Hunter wants to have surgery to remove breast tissue, but he is undecided about genital surgery, which is generally more successful for male-to-female transitions. For now, he is more concerned with feel- ing comfortable with himself and living authentically. "Gender is in your mind, not your pants:' he said. Using public restrooms has presented some challenges. Hunter has been told he was in the wrong line while waiting to enter the ladies room in a public venue. Now he uses a stall in the men's room most of the time, except when he is with people who knew him before his transi- tion, such as classmates. Then he uses the ladies room to avoid making any of his peers uncomfortable. While there are a variety of treatment options available for transgender people, obtaining health care comes with its own challenges. Certain drugs and procedures are not covered by insurance plans, and finding specialists who are trained in this field can be difficult. "It's important to find a pediatric endocrinologist who understands and is willing to treat transgender kids," said Roz Keith, who put together her own team of local and out-of-state health care professionals. She also stressed the importance of finding a therapist who is knowledgeable about transgender issues. "There's a big missing link when it comes to fmding therapists and orga- nizations that help younger people in the early stages [of transitioning]; said Richard Keith. Last November, the Jewish Fund, established with proceeds from the 1997 sale of Sinai Hospital, approved $52,440 for the first year of a three-year $158,630 grant to Affirmations, a Ferndale-based organization for LGBT individuals and advocates. The grant will be used to improve access to quality healthcare for LGBT people through training programs for medical personnel. "There is a high level of dispar- ity and discrimination; a lot of treat- Hunter on page 12 10 July 31 • 2014