Category: Medical

Hi. I am Adhyasa. I am 25 years old and currently living in my hometown with parents. I am a transwoman. I have an approval for medical transitioning. I couldn’t do it earlier because of my financial constraints, however, 3 years from the time I was diagnosed of gender dysphoria, it was long due that I began my HRT at least. I got back from Bangalore in September after working there for over a year. I had an endocrinologist there who I had just begun my consultation with, but I couldn’t continue since I had to return to my parents. So I decided that I will begin my HRT in Baroda itself. I had known of Mona Shah from various LGBTQ NGO’S. In fact she was the only known endocrinologist in my hometown. We booked an appointment with Mona after inquiring. The consultation cost me 1000Rs. Yes, you read that right. Any which way, we visited her. At first when she looked at my case, she didn’t even bother to look at my psychiatrist approval. She has a rude persona and a very derogatory tone to talk to her patients. But i wasn’t someone she met before either I am sure. I looked right into her eye after she wasted almost 15-20 minutes of me and mother in her cabin talking to to people over the calls. My mother had very lil knowledge about gender transitioning unlike me but she only wished my best health so she has always been supportive and encouraging. On our first visit, even I was quite nervous and had many questions regarding the HRT to which mona had no concerns about. After wasting our time, she simply suggested that I go this psychiatrist by the name Ashish before I am sure. But I was sure. I have an approval to prove that. I had 2 years of extensive counseling before I decided to get my approval. Somehow that wasn’t enough for this dumbfuck of a doctor. Her insensitivity towards gender affirming care started showing when she looked at me and said things like “are you really sure?”, “you dont look like you’re interested in being a female according to your clothing or the way you speak”. Imagine telling these things to someone who is diagnosed of dysphoria. Her backward analysis on my gender identity demoralized me so much that both me and my mother agreed to go visit this doc she suggested. We though she means it in good faith. She said once you get done with this you can come back and we discuss on HRT. My body dysphoria has always made me dysfunctional and these cross sex hormones were my only go to and I knew it deep in my heart how much I needed this. Anyway, we ended up going to Aashish who charged us with another 1000rs. I wasnt sure what I was doing there when I have already been through this earlier with my psychiatrist who gave me the approval. In the first meeting, he just tried to get to know me. Spoke to mum about me. Etc. Like this we went for 3 sessions and after that he’s like I have a course that I offer to bring “mental peace and balance” in Rs 15,000. He suggested that if I take this course, it will somehow solve my gender dysphoria. What? Wtf ? That’s where my mom and I realized that this is a sham. They are just here to loot us by tapping into my vulnerability. We decided to go to Mona again, with a strict agenda to get my hormones. We paid another 1k with no other options in town that time. Again she did the same thing. She is still questioning me while she is simply supposed to prescribe me my HRT dosage. She again suggested to get a chromosomal study done. Again we got so irritated wondering why in the world is she denying life saving cross sex hormones for dysphoric people. The chromosomal study would cost us another 8k, she said and I lost my cool. I simply told her that why cant she simply do her job. There’s one job you have as an endocrinologist and you’re suggesting stupid tests and psychiatrists to me? She then got a lil worried when I said I am a journalist by profession. She again interrogated my naive mom about me and my childhood. She then did the most heinous thing one can do as a doctor. She asked me to come closer to her and remove my pants to check my testicles. She said it is too see if I have dysphoria or impotency. This is literally sexual harassment and that too in a medical facility. I was so embarrassed and disgusted to see my mother see her child being used and touched in the name of “check up”. I immediately wore my pants and made up my mind to never come this sinister bitch. While we were leaving, she also said mean things like “no matter how much estrogen you chug you will not look beautiful” “you must consider plastic surgery before HRT. I got so irritated by her and asked her are you or are you not going to prescribe me hormones ,hormones that I deserve to treat my dysphoria, hormones that you just have to prescribe after I gave you an approval letter. All of this to no avail. She finally said what was her agenda since the beginning – to pathologies trans bodies to mint money. She said I will only give toh hormones if you’re ready to remove your testicles or planning sex reassignment surgery in next 5 months. I was sooooo shook. How dare she decide for me how am I supposed to go about my transitioning. That’s a choice we have to make for ourselves, not an endocrinologist. I looked her in the eye with no much fury that if I had some telepathic powers, I might as well burn her into ashes. We were just about to leave when she confirmed that she’s a sinister bitch when she subtly said “think about it and don’t let your transitioning be out in media”. I didn’t even say anything and I simply left with my mother feeling embarrassed, disgusted and totally helpless. One can just imagine what she has done to other trans people in town since trans people in my hometown are not much aware about the WHO guidelines for gender transitioning, they don’t know much about gender identity and now it all made sense because we have sinister doctors like mona shah who is here to misguided and mislead innocent lives just so that she can fill her pockets. I really want to take her to courts, if someone is interested to fight with me to take her license off. She shouldn’t be here exploiting innocent people. Imagine poor and economically backward trans people who cant afford these medical procedures. They all will eventually committed suicide or give into prostitution in order to be able to live their lives in their desired gender. Mona Shah needs lots of slaps on her face along with a legal suite. I would never recommend a self respecting transwoman to visit this ugly twat. She is sinister and has affiliation with government hospitals where they keep waiting to scapegoat transbodies and earn lakhs in bake.