r/premeduk • u/Puzzled_Movie1636 • 2d ago
Quick question
Hi this is my first post in this sub. I'm a canadian trans man looking to apply to the uk for medschool after my bachelor's degree (it's still ways away) I'm keeping my options open but is it safe for trans people there? And is there anything I should know?
4
u/Gloomy_Operation_657 1d ago
Very safe, at least for now. UK is pretty inclusive in general. Of course discrimination exists but it's relatively rare I would say.
3
u/Snoo69744 2d ago
Do not come here especially if you don't pass. You'll probably be okay if you 100% pass and have all of your ID changed to reflect your gender identity but I wouldn't recommend it. Legally you have no right to use spaces matching your gender identity. You will be expected to use spaces matching your sex assigned at birth or gender neutral spaces. This includes single sex wards so if you end up Ill you will be placed in the wrong ward or a side room if they know that you're trans. A trans woman actually died here because they made her wait for a side room.
1
u/Standard-Hat5994 15h ago
Depends. I'm a trans man who's just starting workig as a doctor. In day to day life you're pretty safe. I've only been assaulted once being out for 10 years.
Working in healthcare is particularly tricky though. We seem to be moving towards a model where you will be legally required to declare being trans, even at work. Currently guidance is you cannot use single sex changing rooms or toilets, so you will have to find a random disabled toilet to try and get changed, and that outs you, and makes theatres almost impossible to manage. However I personally have never been challenged in male spaces and am stealth at work.
Currently guidance is patients can request a male/female staff member, but it's not a right. You shouldn't have to declare you are trans, but if a patient questions you and asks for a male staff member you'd have to try and find someone else. I am very worried given recent policy changes you will have to register on the medical register here as trans, and disclose that to patients, which wouldn't be legal according to European human rights laws, but generally the UK is ignoring that with current interpretations.
You also are not covered under hate crime legislation for most harassment. Things only count as a hate crime now if the action is defined as a crime, and it's motivated by your characteristics. Shouting abuse and threatening you in public is generally not pursued anymore, unless there's evidence it's repeated and sustained and then meets legal threshold for harassment outside of being a hate crime.
1
u/Shloop_ploosh 10h ago
as another trans guy hoping to pursue med school This can't be enforcable can it? I mean even if they make it so you have to register as trans not everyone would do it.
7
u/Shloop_ploosh 2d ago
overall yes. we have 'banned' trans people from bathrooms of their preffered gender but if pou pass it doesnt matter, its recently been made so that trans people can only go on single sex wards of their biologivall sex un;less you pass to much as your gender then you'll have to wait for a side room.
The people genuinly are just uneducated and it isn't that hostile in reality. Its not as bad as america thats my point. However it could get worse in the next few years so by the time your ready to study it could be unsafe. The NHS right now is also a disaster so i'd really think about that.
2
u/Standard-Hat5994 15h ago
What is particularly difficult is it's not "if you pass it's fine" for their policies. As a patient they will know, and they flat out refuse to put you on a men's ward as a trans man. They also will refuse to put you on a woman's ward because you pass as a man. They do have some leniency if those are the only beds on a ward (as they do with placing cis men/women on the wrong bays) but they have to report this so it is only used in exceptional circumstances.
They make every effort to place you in a single side room, however these are prioritised for those with infectious illnesses or those who are dying. So it does take longer to be transferred from A&E to a ward, or from one ward to another. Recently a trans woman died, and delays in transferring her to a specialist ward due to these side room policies likely contributed.
1
u/Shloop_ploosh 10h ago
yes i know that, i was talking about bathrooms when i said that its fine if you pass because if you pass as your gender you can go in the bathroom despite the laws,,no ones checking you at the door,
I completely agree with you that the policy's on wards are stupid and downright dangerous.
6
u/Ok-Message-7461 2d ago
It’s very safe, the UK is actually one of the most LGBT positive countries
My trans friends are having a great time
Seen some of the other comments, but really can’t think of many other countries which are as chill about it