I’m Charlie, I’m 23 and I’m transgender. Prior to transitioning I was in a dark place and woke up most days contemplating suicide so I turned to my GP for help. I was surprised to find out that he didn't know what the word transgender meant, but even more surprised with how he treated me once I explained what it did mean. He moved away from me, looked at me in disgust and told me there was nothing he or the NHS could do to help. I had to see another two GPs before I found one who would help me. Even then they didn't know what to do to help a patient like me and I had to tell them what the next steps were.

I couldn’t believe how I was treated at the time but I’ve since found out that this is normal - the parliamentary report into Transgender Equality, released in January, has just found that routinely GP’s are mistreating transgender people or illegally refusing to treat them because of personal belief or a lack of understanding.

Now that a government report has been released exposing how we’ve been treated there is an opportunity for change, but if we don’t act now we will miss the moment. The General Medical Council set the standards for what GP's have to learn, so I am asking them, along with NHS England to make in-depth training on treating transgender patients a compulsory part of the GP curriculum. 

This isn't about special rights, this is about human rights.

I know that if enough people get behind this petition we can do something that will change thousands of trans people’s lives, but you don’t have to be trans to sign this petition- you just have to believe in equality.

Thank you so so much for your support!

Charlie xx

(Photo credit- Bobby Cray)