Episode Details

“What’s your pain scale?” “A nine.” “Okay, miss.” “No. Mister.”

In this episode, I’m speaking with Thy O’Donell, a PhD researcher at the Australian National University in Canberra. Thy’s research explores end-of-life and palliative care for trans and gender diverse people, looking at how gender affirming care can extend into hospitals and hospices. The study has ethics approval through ACT Health’s Human Research Ethics Committee, ANU’s Human Research Ethics Committee, and ACON.

Thy’s interest in this space is personal as well as academic. As a trans man who has navigated Canberra’s medical institutions, he brings firsthand experience of how institutional culture can shape whether someone feels safe and respected in the settings where end-of-life care is delivered.

We talk about what it really means to stay on hormone replacement therapy until the day you die, why advance care directives and wills matter just as much for younger people and trans people as for anyone else, and the courage it takes to self-advocate in a healthcare system that isn’t always built with you in mind. Thy also shares the story of a difficult experience in a Catholic hospital emergency department, the role of chosen family in end-of-life decisions, and why he believes, at its heart, gender-affirming care is simply care.

Remember; you may not be ready to die, but at least you can be prepared.

Take care,

Catherine

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