Caitlyn Jenner has been making her voice heard on a number of issues lately, from politics to health care, and she was sure to give her opinion on the latter while in Aspen, Colorado, for a health care conference.
Jenner was sure to capture much of the attention at the conference, stealing it away from all of the notable health care professionals in attendance. She happily posed for selfies and rode the shuttle buses to the various events, ensuring to get a taste of Aspen’s finest cuisine and night life in the evenings. The star even went so far as to throw out more controversial opinions about who she is in support of politically, as E! shared.
STAT relays why Jenner was in attendance of the conference.
“Her address to the Spotlight Health conference, part of the Aspen Ideas Festival, was an opportunity for her to tell her story and talk about transgender health care. She also refuted a claim she may be transitioning back to being a man, telling a packed audience: ‘Girls, I’m on the team and I’m not leaving.’”
In a one-on-one interview with the publication, Caitlyn then shared about how her journey of transition has impacted her health. The reality star shared candidly that the transition and experience of starting life as a woman left emotional scars, more so than physical scars.
“It’s not as much a physical health issue as it is an emotional issue. Physically, we had it down pretty good as far as transitioning, to do it in a healthy way. It’s mostly the emotional scars that need to be healed that had festered for a long, long time.”
Jenner then explained the fact that the suicide and murder rates drastically increase for those going through the journey she is experiencing, and shares that support is needed.
Caitlyn Jenner said she was “disgusted” by her masculine “Greek god kind of body” https://t.co/VvtKXObd2t
— TIME.com (@TIME) June 29, 2016
The star then spoke on how physicians treat Jenner and address her concerns in her new body, as well as any other mental issues that may accompany the transition.
“In the last 10 or 20 years, we have come so far on this issue and how to deal with it — the psychiatric side of it. There are so many more doctors now out there who specialize in gender dysphoria. I’m working on a video right now with Philadelphia Children’s Hospital, and possibly Chicago, explaining to doctors what to look for if you’re in rural America and have a trans child. How do you deal with it?”
Jenner goes on to express the need for doctors to begin treating those who are showing signs of wanting to transition when at a young age, to result in less suicides and to demonstrate acceptance. One key question raised by the publication involves whether Cailtyn believes physicians really understand trans people across the board. Jenner responded honestly to the query on the subject.
“Specialists do. The medical profession in general doesn’t understand it — and I understand that. They don’t teach it in college. You’ve got to kind of learn it on your own. There are specialists out there like in Philadelphia, like in L.A., that are so far ahead of everybody else.”
The I Am Cait star then expanded on her own medical care choices and shares that she has always gone with the care of medical professionals who do have the necessary experience in working with transgender people. Caitlyn then reiterates that most doctors don’t have the know-how to address her concerns and situations, once again, due to it not being a taught skill in medical school. She notes that for many, it would even be the first time they ever saw a trans person.
40 years later, @Caitlyn_Jenner rocks her gold medal on the cover of Sports Illustrated. https://t.co/PaKr3yVmE1 pic.twitter.com/dcjxZGY5aC
— E! News (@enews) June 29, 2016
Jenner ended the interview by encouraging doctors to do their “homework” when dealing with trans individuals, so to know how to assist, as opposed to lose them.
[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
