DEI Special Edition Spring / Summer 2024
by Liam Paschall
Ensuring transgender inclusion in clinical trials and the broader medical field is crucial for achieving health equity and providing comprehensive, respectful care to all individuals. In this article, I discuss some of the reasons, methods, and significance of fostering such inclusion, partially informed by my experi- ences as a transgender man, to pave the way toward a more inclusive clinical and healthcare landscape. Before you continue reading this article, it may be helpful for you to under- stand the terminology. While many sites provide definitions, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has an extensive glossary of frequently updated terms.
Why Transgender Inclusion Matters
The healthcare system often places transgender individuals at the margins, leading to experiences of exclusion and marginalization. I have my own list of stressful, anxiety - ridden, often frightening personal encounters. Below are just a few. • I was misgendered on the operating table during a routine proce- dure, despite prior discussions with the surgeon and her staff and assurances that my gender identity was acknowledged in MyChart. I didn ’ t know whether to get up and leave, say some - thing and risk being ridiculed … or worse while I was under seda - tion, or ignore it and have the procedure. • My journey with gender - affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) has introduced new health challenges, underscoring the critical re- search gap in transgender health needs.
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