Category Archives: Hormone Replacement Therapy

It seems unreal when I think about how perimenopause crept in quietly without too much fanfare in my late 30s and early 40s. It wasn't too bad I had minor symptoms but it was bearable.

Then all of a sudden, in 2018, after my menstrual cycle abruptly ended at 46, menopause became my living nightmare. It crept up and consumed me. I slid slowly into an abyss of unexplained joint pain, hot flashes, brain fog, exhaustion, a nonexistent libido, and depression.

If I could advise young women of anything, it would be to avoid menopause. But sadly, that's not a reality. Fatigue, night sweats, osteoporosis, hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, dryness, anxiety, irritability, low libido, moodiness, and vaginal dryness that is my everyday reality with menopause.

All these symptoms converging at once meant my day-to-day life changed a lot. I was either in too much pain or too exhausted to work, socialize, or do much of anything. My world got smaller as I withdrew from activities and things I once enjoyed.

I was falling behind on work, missing deadlines, and going days without doing anything, as I usually used any energy reserves I could muster to deal with family-related issues. I tried to ensure that my husband and kids felt supported even as I grew worse each day.

I barely slept more than two or three hours a night, increasing my brain fog and fatigue. I was battling migraines daily and staring at a reflection in the mirror I didn't recognize. My body had turned on me and left me wondering whether I faced death or institutionalization first.

My husband is nine years younger than me and still has a high libido. That was a massive plus during the peri phase because my libido was also in overdrive. The decline began once I hit menopause; my libido was almost nonexistent.

Painful intercourse can be a dealbreaker for many women, and vaginal dryness is a real issue. But I was determined for it not to break me.

I didn't want to be the discarded middle-aged wife whose younger husband decided that working through menopause was too much effort.

We still had sex regularly, as I was intent on keeping the dream alive despite my lack of arousal. I was willing and able, so I did. I still found my husband attractive and wanted to continue our robust sex life, so I used what little I had left in the tank to ensure we kept that connection going.

Enter, lube; all kinds of lube. We've tried them all with varying degrees of success. It took lots of trial and error to settle on one we both liked. Adding lube made it easier for me to transition into this new version of our sex life.

In May 2022, I reached my breaking point. I realized that using any scrap of sanity or energy I had on others couldn't continue. It became unsustainable for me, my husband, our family, or our business.

I made an appointment with my doctor and my therapist to explore options. After lots of tears, tests, and bloodwork, I began taking bioidentical hormone-replacement therapy, or BHRT, at the end of June.

To say that the change has been life-giving is an understatement. I'm now a month along, and my symptoms have almost vanished. The most bothersome like hot flashes and daily migraines left immediately. The other symptoms dryness, brain fog, lack of sleep, joint pain, and low energy have steadily improved each day.

I don't know that BHRT is for everyone, but it was the right choice for me. The turmoil that menopause can create in a woman's life is scary. The fear of becoming a statistic is gone, and I have my life back and no longer worry about disappointing my family and friends.

Cindy Rodriguez Constable is a communication strategist, freelance journalist, and professional speaker.You can follow her here.

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Woman shares the frustrations of going through menopause at age 49 - Insider

Many women have hot flashes, which can last for many years after menopause, according to the National Institute of Aging. In fact, up to 80 percent of women will experience hot flashes associated with menopause. These are known as vasomotor symptoms (VMS), which are characterized as sudden and intense sensations of heat throughout your body. It may be accompanied by sweating, reddening of the skin, chills, and rapid heartbeat. Hot flashes can also be mild or strong enough to wake you up (called night sweats). Most hot flashes last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes and can happen several times an hour, a few times a day, or just once or twice a week.

Despite the prevalence of hot flashes, and the number of people who undergo menopause (an estimated 1.3 million women in the U.S. alone enter menopause every year), theres still a negative stigma associated with it. As a result, women arent receiving the proper care or attention to address the symptoms associated with menopause, which also include vaginal dryness, mood changes, sleep problems, weight gain, and slowed metabolism to name a few. So, why is there a stigma surrounding it? The short answer is that menopause makes women feel old, undesirable, and invisible, saysDr. Tara Allmen, Board Certified Gynecologist in NYC and Author of Menopause Confidential. And thats why theres a level of shame associated with it and its symptoms.

In addition to the stigma associated with menopause, VMS can also impact many aspects of womens lives, including sleep, the ability to focus, and personal relationships. The most common symptom in menopause that 80% of women will endure are hot flashes and night sweats, says Dr. Allmen. This will lead to poor sleep and therefore increase fatigue, foggy brain, and affect their mood while diminishing their interest in sex. Vaginal health will be affected. Their vaginas will become drier so sex will become painful. Their interest in making good lifestyle choices will also decrease, which will impact their weight.

There are a lot of myths surrounding menopause, one being that life (and your sex life) is over, which is simply not true. One of the greatest misconceptions surrounding menopause is that life is over or that youll never have great sex again, says Dr. Allmen. Theres also the idea that youll never be able to lose weight, that youre old, or that youll never feel like yourself again. Its understandable that youll be going through an array of emotions during this time, but one thing to remember is that being in your 40s or 50s does not make you old. There are an array of women in their 50s who have never looked better and when you think about what comes after menopause such as no periods (this also means no PMS symptoms) and less pelvic pain, it can give you a new outlook on this next life phase.

Another misconception is that yes, hot flashes may be a nuisance, but thats okay. Theyre not just a nuisance, says Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine. There are studies that show that hot flashes can be associated with increased risks of heart disease, bone loss, or all these other things that can go along with menopause and thats why we dont want to ignore them.

Another reason there seem to be fewer people talking about menopause and its symptoms is because there are fewer doctors treating it, according to Dr. Minkin. The culprit? In 2002, the Womens Health Initiative study was released, which showed that hormone replacement therapy had more detrimental than beneficial effects. This essentially led to a mistrust of hormone therapy and estrogen among women.

A lot of obstetrics and gynecology residency programs in the United States stopped teaching menopause management, says Dr. Minkin. If you had anybody who trained in obstetrics and gynecology finishing their residency less than 20 years ago, they werent trained in menopause, so they learned nothing about medical management. She adds, Its not their [the students] fault, but we have a lot of people suffering because of it. Dr. Minkin does offer some good news, however. Hot flashes do tend to get better over the course of time, she says. Its not instantaneous, and the average duration of hot flashes is about 7.4 years, but it does tend to get betterits not 7.4 years and misery for most people.

There havent been a lot of medical breakthroughs for hot flashes in the last 20 years, but Dr. Minkin says thats about to change. Estrogen has certainly been the mainstay of therapy and it still worksits an excellent remedy for hot flashes, she says. There are some herbal/over-the-counter, non-hormonal medications and alternative therapies which can be helpful. She adds, There is also a brand new drug coming out. Its non-estrogenic and works extremely well. We are hoping that will be available this coming year. A major misconception is that there are no treatments for hot flashes. There may have been a time when it was brushed off by doctors, but we can come up with concoctions and combinations which can really be quite helpful to women symptomatology-wise, says Dr. Minkin.

In order to end the stigma, we need to encourage and empower women to take charge of the rest of their lives. Lets give everyone permission to say aloud, I need help. I dont feel well,' says Dr. Allmen. This is a normal part of life that we need to talk about. If all women had the what to expect when youre not expecting talk at the age of 40 to help them understand the journey ahead of perimenopause and menopause, they would be less confused, less fearful, less miserable, and know what choices are available, whether lifestyle or medication, to help them have an easier time with the transition and find symptom relief.

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Hot Flashes Can Impact Up to 80% of Women So Why Arent We Talking About It? - SheKnows

Scotland recently made a huge move to bring awareness and resources to womens health issuesincluding menopause. At first blush, it sounds great. But a snag in the execution made a lot of people unhappy.

Scotlands Period Products Act is a groundbreaking piece of legislation to educate the public to normalize conversations about menstruation and menopause, plus provide sanitary products free of charge.

The legislation also created the position of period dignity officer to promote and be the face of the new program. And this is where the criticisms begin: Scotlands first period dignity officer is a man named Jason Grant.

RELATED: Hormone Replacement Therapy Will Be Available Over-The-Counter In The UK In SeptemberWe Wish the U.S. Would Follow Suit

As a resultand to the surprise of no onethe public, along with several celebrities, criticized the move. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was particularly vocal.

Have we ever tried to explain to men how to shave or how to take care of their prostate or whatever?!? This is absurd.

She later added, Does he menstruate? I somehow doubt it.

Grant is a former personal trainer and tobacco salesman who now has the job of promoting access to free sanitary products in schools and colleges across the Scottish Tay region. His job description also includes discussing issues around periods and menopause. The question is: why?

Grant and Scottish officials say having a man in the position will help break down barriers, reduce stigma, encourage more open discussions, and normalize topics like menstruation and menopause.

Unfortunately, it also sounds a lot like mansplaining.

Susan Dalgety, a columnist for The Scotsman, told Sky News, its great that Scotland is the first country in the world to offer free period productsBut I am astonished that a man has been appointed to be lead on period dignity in Tayside. It takes mansplaining to a new level.

Grant also chose an unfortunate shirt to wear for his press photos.

Jason has said being a man will help him reduce stigma and that it is time to normalize topics like menstruation and menopause, Dalgety added. Periods are normal life for women, we dont need some bloke in a blood red polo shirt raising our awareness.

Most girls dont feel comfortable talking about their periods with male friends or their fathers, Dr. Beth Wallace pointed out. So, why would they put a man in charge of this conversation?

The organization was created to ensure every woman had access to free sanitary products and bring awareness to menopause, and we are pumped that Scotland is leading the charge. But, it should be a team of women working on this project. Placing a man in charge is simply tone-deaf.

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F*cking Ridiculous! Scotland Is Championing Menopause But Got One Big Thing Wrong - Suggest

In recent years, conservative politicians have made extreme efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming care. In one example, they directed state health agencies to treat gender-affirming care for trans minors as "child abuse." In another case, they required middle school and high school athletes to show proof of their assigned sex at birth. Most recently, they prohibited discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in the classroom. But last week, a landmark federal law may have helped set a precedent that could protect transgender people who experience gender dysphoria.

On Aug. 24, a panel of the Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals announced the decision that the 1990s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) extends to people with gender dysphoria. This effectively reversed the federal ruling in Kesha Williams v. Stacey Kincaid, where Williams, a transgender woman, sued the Fairfax County sheriff in Virginia for intentionally misgendering her and housing her in a jail with men. (The court originally ruled against Williams.)

By acknowledging gender dysphoria under the ADA, it sets a precedent that gender-affirming treatments should be a part of standard medical care. Yet with gender-affirming care like hormone-replacement therapy under attack, it's more important than ever to better understand what gender dysphoria is, how the ADA can protect trans people, and why this ruling is a huge win for human rights.

Gender dysphoria is a health condition listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) that is categorized as "psychological distress." It's what happens when a person's assigned sex at birth does not align with their gender identity, creating feelings of anguish and intense emotional pain. And though gender dysphoria's diagnosis in the DSM makes it easier for some transgender people to access medical care by acknowledging it as an actual health condition, it can also be controversial. Some people argue that it pathologizes gender dissonance and contributes to the stigma that being trans is a "mental illness," which is not the case.

Regardless, it's important to note that not every transgender person experiences dysphoria, and it varies in severity from person to person. In the case of Kesha Williams vs. Stacey Kincaid, Williams experienced gender dysphoria when she was intentionally misgendered and denied hormone treatment, in addition to being housed in jail with men.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was established to prohibit discrimination against anyone with disabilities in areas of employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services, according to the US Department of Labor. The ruling states, "The ADA defines the term 'disability' broadly to include 'a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual."

The reason gender dysphoria now falls under the ADA is because the ruling acknowledges it as a disability. The federal court ruled the 1990 landmark federal law protects transgender people who experience symptoms as a result of dissonance between their sex assigned at birth and their true gender identity. This will set a precedent that can be used to challenge laws attempting to restrict access to medical care and other areas that fall under the ADA, like employment and government benefits.

The federal ruling means that gender dysphoria is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The decision applies broadly to all areas of society covered by disability-rights law, including employment, government benefits and services, and public accommodations. In addition to destigmatizing a legitimate health condition, AP News reports that the ruling provides legal protections to people with gender dysphoria in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, and it may serve as a legal precedent for other states.

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Gender Dysphoria Is Now Protected Under the Americans With Disabilities Act and It's a Pretty... - POPSUGAR

Hunter Schafer is facing backlash on social media for appearing to agree with an Instagram post about transmedicalism and the cutting of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) in certain states.

The Euphoria star and trans activist, 23, seemingly wrote on a post shared to Instagram last week by user @piggytaiwan about trans healthcare and how the non-binary community could be affecting trans people from receiving medical treatment.

The post also said that non-binary trans people are contributing to laws in certain states that no longer regard HRT and gender-reaffirming surgery as medically necessary procedures.

Earlier this month, Florida began a rule-changing process to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth in the state.

This school of thought is known as transmedicalism, namely that being transgender is dependent upon experiencing gender dysphoria or requiring medical treatment to transition.

It is also often referred to as "truscum", which is defined as: a person who believes that gender dysphoria is an essential trait to being transgender.

In the original post, @piggytaiwan wrote in part: "Y'all couldn't stand to let binary trans people be the voice of this community," and, "That means more trans people will have to pay for their transition out of pocket, forcing more of us into sex work."

The post was criticized on social media, but fans noticed that Schafer had commented "!!!!!!" seemingly in agreement. Several people have now called out the actress and model on Twitter.

"hunter schafer blaming nb ppl for the things happening to trans ppl's healthcare is so f****** sickening. girl that is what conservatives want!! they wanna divide you by making these horrific f****** laws and pitting queer n trans ppl against each other!! don't b a transmed!!" reads one tweet.

Another Twitter user wrote: "Who's gonna tell hunter schafer that the real enemy are cis transphobes and not nonbinary people."

While another tweeted: "Hunter Schafer blaming trans ppl for their own oppression instead of the bigots that call the shots and make the laws is really funny and sad at once. I promise u tiktok teens have 0 hand in passing transphobic medical laws."

Schafer has long been a vocal advocate for trans rights and, in 2016, signed on as a plaintiff in the lawsuit from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) against North Carolina's bathroom bill.

Schafer wrote in a 2017 op-ed for i-D magazine: "As a transgender teenager who grew up in North Carolina, navigating bathrooms on my own was an extremely difficult journey, particularly at public school.

"In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the women's restroom and locker room. But I was often met with compromises, like being told to use a staff bathroom or the men's room, which was basically a sentence to eternally hold it in," Schafer wrote. "I felt like an outlaw every time I had to pee, as if this natural bodily function were some unforgivable act."

North Carolina's anti-trans bathroom bill was partially repealed in 2017.

Newsweek has contacted Schafer's representatives for comment.

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Hunter Schafer Criticized For Appearing to Agree With Anti-Nonbinary Post - Newsweek

The physical advantage of a male boxer over a female boxer is significant says Boxing New Zealand. Photosport

Boxing New Zealand have followed suit with other sports and plans to create an open category for Olympic boxing events which will avoid males who have transitioned to female to fight against other women.

Citing the safety and fairness of female boxers, the decision matches other sporting organisations including the World Rugby and World Triathlon.

Individual sports are taking the lead because of the International Olympic Committee framework that was introduced last November and went into effect in March placed all sports in charge of their own rules regarding testosterone. It replaced an IOC policy that had allowed transgender women who had been on hormone replacement therapy for at least 12 months to compete in the Olympics against other women.

"Like the position many other sports find themselves in, this comes after a period of considerable consideration and discussion about how best to include people who do not identify as their biological sex, whilst upholding the right for safe and fair competition for all participants," a release by Boxing New Zealand said.

"Boxing is a combat sport, where strength, stamina, and physique has a significant impact on both the safety of, and fairness for competitors. There is potential for injury or worse if the margins of safety are breached. This is why boxing has sex specific, age specific and weight specific categories to maximise the inclusion of as many people as possible in this great sport, while also prioritizing safe and fair competition for all.

"Alongside many other New Zealand sporting bodies, Boxing New Zealand has participated in Sport New Zealand's recent consultation on their draft guidelines for transgender inclusion in community sport. As part of this process Boxing New Zealand raised concerns with Sport New Zealand about their advocacy for sex self-identification (allowing an individual to self-identify into the sex category of their choice even if they have not undertaken any form of medical transition)."

In June, swimming's governing body, FINA announced new policy which bans for all transgender women from elite competitions if they didn't begin medical treatment to suppress testosterone production before either the onset of puberty or by age 12, whichever comes later.

International Rugby League also barred transgender women from women's matches until more studies allow for the sport's regulators to come up with a cohesive inclusion policy.

And the International Cycling Union updated its eligibility rules for transgender athletes in June; increasing the period during which transgender athletes on women's teams must lower their testosterone level to two years rather than one.

FIFA, which runs football, said it is "currently reviewing its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders."

"Our priority first and foremost is the safety of competitors in our sport, all competitors, regardless of any sexual persuasion or gender preference. We wish to continue to provide an environment where people benefit from rules that allow for fair and safe competition," said President of Boxing New Zealand Steve Hartley.

The release said the rules were consistent with the other Boxing New Zealand rules and procedures in place to preserve safety and fair competition while maximizing inclusion.

"The physical advantage of a male boxer over a female boxer is significant, and the current evidence is that even if a male has taken to steps to suppress testosterone this will never fully reverse the effects of a testosterone fuelled puberty on their strength, stamina, and physique. For example, there is an average 160 percent advantage in punching force for a male vs a female boxer. Allowing any male, regardless of how he identifies, to box against a female would be to actively accept that the physical safety of a female boxer is worth less than the wishes of a male boxer to be included in the sex category they identify with," the release said.

"The safety of, and fairness for, female boxers is not up for negotiation and Boxing New Zealand will not be implementing gender self-identification in the Male or Female categories. We will not allow male people who have undergone puberty and who may be undertaking a medical transition to participate in the female category given the evidence around retained advantage.

"Nor will Boxing NZ allow people who may be undertaking a medical transition or have transitioned from female to male, to participate in the male or female category."

Open Class:

A person born female who identifies as male and has undertaken or is in the process of a medical transition. A person born male who identifies as female and may or may not have undertaken or is in the process of a medical transition post-puberty. A person who does not qualify for either the male or the female category.

- With AP

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Boxing New Zealand supports open category in Olympic style boxing - New Zealand Herald

DOYLESTOWN, PA Doylestown has taken on the color of awareness for September thanks to more than 70 volunteers who Turned The Town Teal over the weekend.

Teal ribbons are now adorning lampposts and trees throughout the business district to make women and men aware of ovarian cancer, its often subtle symptoms and risk factors.

Im very thrilled and delighted that on this very hot day people came out to help spread this very important message to others, said former Doylestown Borough Councilwoman Joan Doyle, who has organized the event for the past 14 years and whose older sister, Anita Stein, died from thedisease.

This is all about directing attention to learning symptoms and risk factors for ovarian cancer. This campaign is geared toward women and men. They need to know for their loved ones as well, said Doyle.

Prior to heading out into the streets to turn the town teal, Doyle took a few moments to recognize survivors and to remember loved ones and friends taken by the disease. She was joined by Mayor Noni West.

Ovarian cancer is a hideous, ugly and dangerous disease and early diagnosis is really important, Mayor West told the crowd. What you are doing here today educating the public and making people aware of what they need to do is really, really important. The heroes are you today and our survivors.

Also joining Doyle and Mayor West was Jane MacNeil, the president of Turn the Towns Teal and sister-in-law of Turn the Towns Teal founder, Gail MacNeil, who has since passed away from the disease.

Each one of you are unsung heroes, she told the gathering. You never know when somebody is going to see that ribbon or get a symptom card and realize they have the symptoms and get checked out. I came up with the phrase, The earlier the diagnosis, the better the prognosis. Right now Im not only advocating for the symptoms but the risk factor of the BRCA gene. Its truly an honor to here with Joan and to see all of you rallying. I am literally blown away and I thank you. Lets go teal.

MacNeil has grown the organization to 48 states across the nation, including Doylestown which is surpassed in the number of ribbons only by Bristol, Conn.

Last year, MacNeil said more than 650 towns participated in the awareness campaign meaning that thousands and thousands of people like you are tealing throughout the USA. And what a message to spread.

Before heading out to teal the commercial core of Doylestown, Doyle recognized the Ovarian Cancer Warriors who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and have either survived or are still battling the disease. She also led the gathering in silence as the names of those lost to the disease were remembered.

MacNeil said later that she was blown away" by the Doylestown event, by the amount of people who came out to help, by the tributes that Joan paid to the survivors and to those who have lost loved ones to the disease and "to all the other people who came out to support our mission, which is awareness of the disease, its symptoms and its risk factors."

The month of September is designated as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

If symptoms persist for more than two weeks, consult a gynecologist or physician. A Pap test does not detect ovarian cancer. There is no diagnostic test. Risk factors include a genetic predisposition (BRCA1/BRAC2 gene), personal or family history of breast, ovarian or colon cancer; increasing age; reproductive history and infertility; and hormone replacement therapy.

Learn more about the Turn the Towns Teal Awareness Campaign by visiting www. turnthetownsteal.org.

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Doylestown Turns The Town Teal For Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month - Patch

The far right has unleashed a torrent of attacks on transgender rights with the goal of pushing trans people further into the precarious margins of U.S. capitalist society. Despite those efforts in the halls of power, working and oppressed people have embraced the fight for trans liberation and rallied in defense of LGBTQ people under attack.

The latest is a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) that would severely limit the ability of millions of transgender people to access transition-related medical care.

Provocatively called the Protect Childrens Innocence Act, the bill would make it a felony to provide trans children with gender-affirming medical care, such as prescribing hormone blockers, hormone replacement therapy or surgery, punishable with between 10 and 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

In addition, the bill would ban health insurance companies from covering the costs of trans-related care for transgender adults, too, if the company works through the Affordable Care Act. It would also ban accredited institutions of higher education from teaching about trans health care, including to psychologists, endocrinologists, surgeons and EMTs.

Trans kids have been a major target by bigots, who have denied their ability to understand their gender identities and cast them as the victims of pushy doctors driven by trans ideology. They previously claimed that by contrast, trans adults had free choice, but its increasingly evident that was just a tactic to separate trans kids and adults and ban transitioning by both groups.

When Greene appeared on Tucker Carlsons Fox News talk show to push the new bill, he pledged to throw his weight behind it and pressure every Republican to back it, calling trans health care sexual mutilation and sterilization. His show features regular segments elevating lies to demonize LGBTQ people.

With Congress present political makeup, Greenes bill has zero chance of passing. However, it sends a chilling message about the far-rights agenda and their goal in the coming period. Despite their rhetoric, it was never just about trans kids. Their goal has always been to make it impossible for transgender people to openly exist in U.S. society.

Several similar developments recently point to Greenes goals not being on the political fringe, but deeply welded to the Republican Partys program.

Florida calls trans care experimental, Texas officials push for child seizures

On August 21, Florida became the 11th state to ban Medicaid, a government-funded health insurance program, from covering all trans-related treatments. This will immediately deprive 9,000 transgender Floridians of their medication and access to other treatments or procedures, raising the terrifying prospect of being forced to either acquire their medication illegally on the black market, or to detransition that is, to give up living socially as their gender and go back to trying to live as the gender they were assigned at birth and had previously transitioned away from.

This comes after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued guidance to state health providers in April claiming that a lack of conclusive evidence exists to support affirming health care for trans children. Then in June, the states Agency for Health Care Administration said it had determined that several services for the treatment of gender dysphoria i.e., sex reassignment surgery, cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers are not consistent with generally accepted professional medical standards and are experimental and investigational with the potential for harmful long term affects.

Both of these policies carry the risk of prompting private insurance providers to treat trans health care as experimental and refuse to cover such care.

It must be emphasized that in fact these orders directly contradict established standards of medical care for both trans children and adults, which say that supporting and affirming trans peoples identities socially and medically greatly alleviates emotional and psychological distress, including dramatically reducing the risk of suicide.

The attacks on trans health care come in addition to the states heinous Dont Say Gay law, which Florida school districts are interpreting as requiring teachers to out LGBTQ students to their parents and banning them from using a trans childs preferred name and pronouns without explicit approval by their parents. This will only further drive trans children into the shadows.

Texas has been another focus of the right wings disgusting attacks. The Texas Supreme Court ruled in May that the states Department of Family and Protective Services could resume investigating reports of parents of transgender children giving their child gender-affirming care, following a February decision by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that doing so is a form of child abuse. However, the court found that Governor Greg Abbott could not order DFPS to specifically focus on such cases.

Abbotts anti-trans policy is so extreme that even the GOP-dominated state legislature failed to pass a bill on it last year after having passed one anti-trans bill after another. So Abbott resorted to the highly undemocratic method of abusing his executive power.

The danger this policy poses to trans children is extreme: If respecting a childs gender identity is considered abuse, then the state will take that child from their family and place them somewhere else where they will be safe from such treatment. For trans children, that means being forcibly detransitioned and trying to destroy their identity as a trans person. In fact, the United Nations in a 1948 convention identified, forcibly transferring children of the [targeted] group to another group as an example of genocide!

Far-right coordinates threats on hospitals

Just as fascists have coordinated attacks against Pride and Drag events on social media, they have extended their efforts to attack hospitals and clinics that offer trans health care.

Fascist accounts have spread lies that dozens of clinics, including Boston Childrens Hospital, are performing surgeries like hysterectomies and genital affirmation surgeries on children, which the Boston facility has clarified it does not do and which is not standard practice for such clinics. On August 16, the clinic said it had received a large volume of hostile internet activity, phone calls and harassing emails, including threats of violence toward our clinicians and staff thanks to the coordinated campaign.

There is a direct link between these attacks and the others: Rep. Greenes tweet announcing the introduction of her bill quoted as justification a post by one of the far right accounts involved in this campaign, and their targets are regularly amplified by figures like Tucker Carlson and far-right media outlets.

Attacks on trans clinics echo the decades-long terror campaign against abortion clinics, which have included everything from spreading false information to harassment of staff and patients, and even bombings and assassinations. As happens so often in U.S. history, the far right and major elements of the state work hand-in-hand to roll back social progress.

Working people are fighting back

Despite the increased tempo of attacks, working people are rallying to defend trans people and embrace their freedom struggle, showing just how unpopular the ruling class hateful agenda is.

In the aftermath of Abbotts order for DPFS to hunt down supportive parents of trans kids, more than 500 people rallied in front of the governors mansion in Austin in defense of trans rights. By comparison, less than 10 came out to support Abbotts order even though the media tried to build the narrative of dueling rallies, in effect urging more people to come out with the fascists.

In San Francisco, on the day the Supreme Court handed down the Dobbs vs. Jackson ruling, a massive march in defense of the right to an abortion converged with another large march in defense of trans rights. As thousands of protesters combined their marches into a single massive demonstration, they chanted reproductive and trans rights: one struggle, one fight!

In Woodland, California, in early July, when a local bar was targeted by the fascist online smear campaign, the owner nearly canceled the show for fear of another fascist attack like those seen at similar events across the country. However, after LGBTQ people and their supporters traveled far and wide to support them, the show went on as planned.

A similar situation happened in Houston, Texas, later that month, when more than 150 people came out in the blazing heat to defend a drag-themed bar from attack by self-described Christian fascists.

This is what real resistance looks like and its what the ruling class fears.

Read more from the original source:
The far right aims to eliminate trans people But the working... - Liberation

The pain gap exists. Health-related gaslighting is all too common among women. Almost any woman can tell you about a time her physician failed to take her seriously. For many, getting treatment for pain has always been a key concern, instead, theyve been misdiagnosed, negated, dismissed, or told its anxiety.

Thankfully, there has been a shift in the UK, and officials are beginning to listen. As part of the governments first womens health strategy, a survey of almost 100,000 women revealed that menopause had been cited as the number one health concern for women between the ages of 40 and 59.

Managing symptoms of menopause have not been taken seriously in the UK for some time, with women facing constant challenges in obtaining hormone replacement therapy. Women even reported that some providers were unwilling to prescribe it.As a result, many had to suffer from severe symptoms of menopause, which negatively impacted their daily lives.However, there is now hope of finding relief.

RELATED: Youre Not Crazy, Its Perimenopause Rage: Women Open Up About Their Experiences, And How To Spot It In Yourself

As reported by The Guardian, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will now be sold over the counter in the UK for the first time. After a safety review, starting in September,the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) noted that Gina 10 microgram vaginal tablets (containing estradiol) will be available from pharmacies without a prescription.

Gina HRT tablets are intended for women aged 50 and over who havent had their periods for a least a year. Gina aims to treat vaginal symptoms related to oestrogen deficiency such as dryness, soreness, itching, burning, and uncomfortable sex.

Chief healthcare quality and access officer at MHRA, Dr. Laura Squire, told The Guardian, This is a landmark reclassification for the millions of women in the UK who are going through menopause and experience severe symptoms that negatively impact their everyday life.

Echoing Dr. Squires words, Maria Caulfield, the minister of state for health, told The Guardian, Menopause affects hundreds of thousands of women every year, but for some, its symptoms can be debilitating and for many, they can be misunderstood or ignored. Making Gina available over the counter is a huge step forward in enabling women to access HRT as easily as possible, ensuring they can continue living their life as they navigate menopause.

While we celebrate this milestone for our sisters in the UK, we lament the lack of progress on womens health in the United States. In 1998, the Womens Health Initiative (WHI) conducted a study on the effect of HRT on postmenopausal women. Initial evaluations of the data suggested the risks, namely increased risks of coronary heart disease and breast cancer, outweighed the benefits of using HRT.

Since then, there have been numerous scrutinies of the WHIs methods and analysis, such as the fact that a majority of participants were more than a decade past their final menstrual period. Another limitation of the controversial study included that only one type of HRT and delivery method was tested. Moreover, a lot of the positives of HRT, such as decreasing the risk of diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis never made it into the public narrative.

Despite more recent studies negating the initial findings of the WHI study, this data has not received the same media coverage that has unfairly harbored a negative view of HRT in the publics mind.

Were hopeful that this monumental moment in the UK is the first step of many to reframe the narrative around HRT in treating menopausal symptoms and providing relief to the millions of women out there suffering in silence.

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Hormone Replacement Therapy Will Be Available Over-The-Counter In The UK In SeptemberWe Wish The U.S. Would Follow Suit - Suggest

I am a 60-year-old woman at the end of a five-year regimen of hormone therapy. My doctor has advised me to eventually stop the use of estrogen and progesterone by this summer, as she says women have an advanced risk of breast cancer at this age. Another friend a few years younger than me was told by her doctor that she could continue with hormone-replacement therapy until she is 70. Which doctor is correct? I am experiencing constant hot flashes again and am able to snatch only little bits of sleep each night, along with all of the other issues that come with the loss of estrogen inability to regulate temperature, hair falling out, flaccid skin and vaginal dryness. My other question is, am I able to use other herbal compounds, specifically saw palmetto and/or St. Johns wort, without any risk of breast cancer? Or, are these and other estrogen-mimicking compounds also a contributor to breast cancer?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the first question about how long to continue hormone treatment for symptoms of menopause. I disagree with any absolute rule, such as stopping at five years or waiting until 70, because any woman may place a different value on her well-being, and a womans individual risk for breast cancer also needs to be considered.

You havent told me about any particular risk, but my answer would be very different for a woman with average risk compared with a woman with increased risk due to family history, for example.

About 40% of women will have symptomatic hot flashes until age 65, and continuing estrogen is reasonable in women who are willing to accept the increase in risk.

The risk is not just breast cancer. Women taking combined estrogens and progestins have a small increase in the risk of heart disease, stroke and pulmonary embolism, or blood clot to the lung, but a decreased risk of colon cancer and hip fracture.

That all sounds scary, but the increase in risk of any of these is less than 0.5%. Overall, women on combined hormones were slightly less likely to die than those who were not.

Many women choose to continue taking their hormones when their symptoms are significantly affecting their quality of life. I feel very strongly that its the physicians job to advise so a woman can make the best decision for herself.

Saw palmetto is not commonly used for menopausal symptoms its used very frequently by men with prostate issues and there is inconsistent evidence on its contribution for breast cancer.

Similarly, there is no consensus on the risk of St. Johns wort for breast cancer, and only limited evidence that it helps menopausal symptoms. St. Johns wort can interact with many medicines, so its wise to discuss its use with a pharmacist if you are taking other medication.

Many women ask about phytoestrogens, such as in soy protein or red clover, and other herbs with estrogenic activity, such as black cohosh.

There is a theoretical risk, and although there are some studies suggesting they may be safe, many experts advise against these for women at high risk. That group would include women with a history of an estrogen-sensitive tumor.

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To Your Good Health: Length of hormone treatment depends on the individual - Agri-News