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Mills came out to himself as transgender in March 2011.
“That’s when I knew I needed to take steps towards finding out more information about trans, being transgender and what that looks like even,” Mills said. -
Put on the waiting list at Klinic Community Health Centre
THIS ISN'T THE EXACT DAY. Ro said all transgender people have to go through Klinic in order to transition. Ro said Klinic only sees trans patients on Fridays and they only have two doctors now. He said the Klinic is only supposed to be for trans-related health stuff (referrals, checking hormone levels) but trans people use that doctor as an everyday doctor because they don't want to have to come out to doctors and explain that they're trans but they're using up resources. -
First testosterone injection
Ro first injected himself with testosterone from his friend who was also transitioning. His doctor wanted to take a lot of precautions before giving him hormones but Ro wanted it right away. -
Testosterone from physician
By the end of August Ro was able to get testosterone perscribed from a doctor. He believes he sped up the process of getting hormones because he used his friend's hormones so the physician knew that the transition was truly what Ro wanted. -
Letter of referral from psychologist
THIS ISN'T THE EXACT DAY.
Ro said the only way to get top surgery is to get a letter of referral from one psychologist at Klinic Communtiy Health Centre. After one visit, the psychologist diagnosed Ro with gender identity disorder and gave him a letter that would qualify him for surgery. -
Top surgery in Florida
Ro paid $6,000 for top surgery in Florida, not including his expenses to get to Florida and stay in Flordia for eight days. He had to stay there for so long because the doctors had to do a consultation before the surgery on one day, the surgery on another day, recovery on a few other days, and the bandage reveal on another day. -
Appointments with doctors fall through
THIS ISN'T THE DATE.
A month before Ro was eligible for surgery, a good surgeon who trained in Montreal to perform top surgery left Winnipeg. Ro booked an appointment with Dr. Buchel, another surgeon who had done top surgeries before, but he cancelled the appointment and said he's no longer taking trans patients. Ro's only other option was to see a local surgeon who does double mastectomies. Ro saw him for a consultation but didn't want surgery from him because Ro didn't feel he was adequate. -
Testing testosterone levels
This week Ro is visiting Klinic Community Health Centre to test his testosterone levels. He tests his levels about every six months. He's not on an insurance plan so he has to pay $40 for a vile of the hormone and the vile lasts for about three months. -
Changing birth certificate
Ro is waiting to have his sex designation on his birth certificate changed. In order to do this, he needs the letter from the psychologist and surgeron (you don't need bottom surgery to qualify). At first the MB government said the surgeon doesn't count because he's not on a Canadian board of surgerons. Ro had to get a letter from his doctor verifying that s/he has seen that Ro has received top surgery. -
Verified surgery
Ro just resubmitted the forms that verify that he's received the surgery. He had to do this to be eligible to change his sex designation on his birth certificate. -
Change sex on birth certificate
So far Ro describes his stage in the process of changing his sex designation on his birth certificate as "only asking permission" to change it. Now he has to apply for a new birth certifiate (costs money). Ro doesn't agree with changing his sex on his birth certificate because he wasn't born a man and he doesn't feel like it reflects his identity.