Zev Frank describes difficulty finding trustworthy trans health information
Zev Frank, a Youth Advocacy Fellow at NYTAG, says even supportive parents were lost trying to help with hormone replacement therapy. He describes misinformation and fear when searching for trans health care and says city-verified resources through Intro 949 would reduce doubt; supports Intro 949, Res 208, and Res 547.
Thank you, Chair Farias, Chair Caban, Chair Narcisse, and members of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity, the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use, and the Committee on Hospitals for holding this hearing and providing us with an opportunity to testify.
My name is Zev Frank, a Youth Advocacy Fellow at NITAG.
I am a young transgender community member with lived experience on how frightening and confusing it can be trying to find information about TGNC and B health services and gender affirming care that is accurate and approachable.
It's going to be incredibly difficult, especially for a young person with no experience in handling their own health care, trying to find this information by themselves.
Even for those of us who have allies in our lives that support us, it doesn't mean that they know everything about our needs or health.
When I needed dental work done, I talked to my parents, and they helped me find a dentist, deal with insurance.
When I needed hormone replacement therapy, they were more lost and confused than I was.
Like so many people, I had to extensively search for the resources I needed on the internet, and it was daunting.
There is so much misinformation out there and a lack of accurate information.
As a TGNCNB person, it can be scary trying to find medical information and practitioners you can trust.
If I had verified information and resources from the city during my search, it would have taken away so much of that doubt and fear.
I was eventually fortunate enough to be able to find a doctor I can trust who is both welcoming and knowledgeable about transgender health care.
At 25 and after over six years of medically transitioning,
I am still learning vital information about my own reproductive health due to a lack of access to relevant resources.
Alongside this, most medical professionals I have seen either didn't know or did not provide a safe environment for me to ask.
Access to safe, affirming health care is vital to individuals in the TGNCNB community and can be genuinely life-saving.
Making this information more accessible to those in NYC who need it through legislation like Intro 949 will undoubtedly be life-changing for many.
We thank the Committee on Women and Gender Equity and the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use for its continued support and leadership in protecting TGNCNB New Yorkers.
Thank you for allowing us to testify, and we look forward to working with you to make sure trans folks get the support they deserve.
We make the following recommendations to the City Council and urge support for the following to prioritize constitutional legal protections for TGNC and BI folks.
We support Intro 949 to create a resource map related to the unique health care needs of LGBTQI plus individuals.
We support Resolution 0208 and we support Resolution 0547.
Thank you.
Thank you.