Offering a ‘perfect fit’ for affirming care
Sebastian didn’t know where to start when it came time to establish medical care as a young adult. He just knew he needed a safe, nonjudgmental place – something he’d never had before.
After growing up in a family that didn’t go to the doctor very often, Sebastian didn’t know where to start when it came time to establish medical care as a young adult. He just knew he needed someone who could help him with sexual health services as a transgender patient, as well as with primary care.
Sebastian set to work researching online and came across OneWorld. Not only did it “perfectly fit” his needs, he found a clinic close by that offered flexibility and a welcoming atmosphere. That clinic, OneWorld Teen and Young Adult Health Center West, is OneWorld’s entry point for gender affirming care.
“It feels really nonjudgmental. And unfortunately, those sorts of environments aren’t entirely familiar to me,” Sebastian said. “So coming into a space that was very clearly unassuming and respectful, it was just a big deal for me.”
For Sebastian, accessing gender affirming care and birth control was a priority – as was knowing the options available so that he could make the best decisions for himself. He said his health care team at OneWorld has helped him find the right birth control method for him, provided education on his reproductive rights and access to services, and continues to work with him toward his own goals.
Gender affirming care looks different for every trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming individual, and care plans are developed in collaboration with patients to be supportive, empowering and safe. At OneWorld, gender affirming care services can include hormone therapy, as well as referrals to trusted connections within OneWorld and the larger community for primary care, behavioral health care, social support services and surgical care as needed.
For Sebastian, the supportive environment at OneWorld has allowed him, as an adult, to take his health care into his own hands and be his truest self.
“When I became 19, OneWorld allowed me to kind of take control of my life path and explore what was possible for me, what was ideal for how I presented,” Sebastian said. “They’ve been very good with making sure my care plan follows my unique story.”