Dr. Joshua Safer, director of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Mount Sinai in New York City, said patients have historically self-medicated when they don’t have access to conventional medical care. While he doesn’t think most trans youths will be able to acquire gender-affirming hormones through the informal economy, he said parents may resort to seeking medical care in other states if they have the resources.
Dale Melchert, a staff attorney at the Transgender Law Center, said he has seen most insurance companies oscillate gender-affirming health care coverage based on what’s required under federal regulation, such as individual presidential administrations’ interpretation of the Affordable Care Act.
Dr. Ricardo Correa, an associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, acknowledged that there’s a “high” amount of bias in the health care community against trans people, echoing a sentiment also expressed by Brooks.
Following years of remasculinization — including “$3,000 of laser hair removal out the window” and persistent gender dysphoria — she grew desperate for a solution, she said. That’s when she decided to turn to online pharmacies, which enabled her to increase her hormone dosage.“You feel very lost, but you feel that there’s the possibility of something moving forward,” she said. “You feel like you’re taking the reins of your care.