Hospital wards

[Serencwtch]

I've just been discharged today following an admission to an acute mental health unit for treatment for a form of bipolar disorder. My last admission was 8 years ago.

This was the first time I encountered the trans issue first hand on an inpatient unit.

The ward was mixed but bedrooms were split into male & female corridors.

There was a young trans man (biological female) on the male corridor. Extremely vulnerable 19 year old who had been in some form of hospital or supported living since the age of 14. Identified as male and had asked to be on male corridor.

Whilst I respect his decision & it had no impact on me or my care I felt extremely uncomfortable as there was a young vulnerable young person (with female anatomy) with very little protecting them from some big muscular biological males who definitely lacked inhibitions at times.

I didn't ask about the trusts policy on single sex accommodation and so don't know if a trans woman (biological male) would have been allowed on a female corridor.

There was a report recently highlighting the frightening frequency of sexual assault on mental health wards & have had several acute admissions so have experienced/witnessed this.

How is the NHS turning a blind eye to obvious safeguarding risks & how is this going on unchallenged.

I hope you're feeling better OP.

I'm appalled a vulnerable young woman was in with the men. That's so shocking. Surely actual risk should outweigh feelings when making such decisions.

Given the frequency of other mental health comorbidities with sex identity disorders, I imagine this is a not infrequent scenario. It’s also a huge risk to all the women present.

Someone pointed out that lies and corruption had been at the forefront in the USSR from the thirties to the nineties (to say nothing of what’s happening now) and I had a sudden, horribly bleak realisation that this kind of awful political madness doesn’t always go away, as I had always assumed this would.

I’ve always assumed women would win this, but it’s taking an incredibly long time. I’m so disappointed that the NHS, which should know better, is willingly placing women at risk for a ridiculous ideology.

It didn't sit right with me at all. They had a long history of eating disorder & self harm. Identifying as trans seemed to just fuel the hatred they had towards their body.

It looked as though the mental health issues & vulnerability led to them as identifying as trans rather than the mermaids type understanding of young trans people turning to self harm because they are being prevented from being their 'true self'

It was hard to believe that any type of surgery/ hormone treatment would bring any kind of self acceptance for them unfortunately

You’re right in comparing this to the culture prevalent in the USSR. Gender ideology is essentially a Lysenkoist concept e.g. males claiming to be 'somatically female’ because of exogenous oestrogen 🤷‍♀️