My name is Miliana Singh and I the Health Care and Trans* Services Coordinator for the LGBT Center of Orange County California. I joined the center May 2017, marking my one year with the organization on the 8th of May. I started out volunteering under the previous coordinator and stepped into the role a year later. I’m so honored to be in this position, to have been able to mentor under the previous coordinator and to be in a position to give back to this community.
I personally identify as transgender (trans feminine, Trans female or Trans woman to be specific) and like a lot of others I’ve faced discrimination in the health care system. I transitioned in 2006 in Polk county Florida (for reference it is the largest county in the state but it is historically known for being the most conservative if not reformative county in the state). When I transitioned there weren’t resources available to me to start my medical transition. Every doctor looked at me bewildered for mentioning starting hormone replacement therapy. I was the first out Trans woman in the county and doctors were unaware on how to administer care. I quickly learned to be my own advocate as every door was slammed on me for seeking transitional care. My catalyst was when I came out to my family medicine doctor and she told me that she does not prescribe hormones to 16 year old boys, she gives them to women who are on menopause; her only suggestion was to go to Miami where they “do that there”. I was sent on my way with no resources, referrals or information as to how I could make this transition a reality. Because of my lack of resources and the unwillingness of the medical providers in my area I was forced to start my transition on the black market. The black market was a way that I could attain the medication I needed without policing and without gate keeping. I learned to not only advocate for myself but how to become my own doctor as I self-medicated. Everything I learned about hormones, I learned online. When medical providers learned of my self-medicating, no one intervened to prescribe legal hormones or to even order lab work to ensure that I wasn’t inflicting self-harm with the medication I was taking. Transition was a scary, lonely and desperate place for me during those first 4 years; what kept me going were the goals I set aside for myself in the future. Looking back I’m so glad that the medication I was taking didn’t cause harm or trigger side effects that could have been fatal. I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned and everything I’ve gone through because I know it has helped to make me a stronger person today. Knowing everything I’ve been through has compelled me to want to advocate for others as I once did for myself. Seeing Trans youth that have the support of their families touches my heart every time but I also know of the many trans youth and adults who don’t have family support, as I entered a transition without my family’s support. I do the work for everyone who was in my position before, who didn’t have access or knowledge to things that we are now privy to.
What I love the most about working with the Center is the fact that I get to make a difference in someone’s life. I love being able to build a community and see how they light up. I love working for an organization that cares so much for the betterment of this community and wants to see it succeed. Every new face I see gives me so much joy knowing that they’ve found a safe space for them. My dream would be to expand services offered to the community so that they could benefit from having everything in-house. I also want to create a dynamic network here in Orange County with these amazing providers who want nothing more than to give back to this community. I would love to see Orange County be able to be on the same wave length of major cities as far as the Trans affirming care we offer. I also want to create programs for Trans people to flourish and develop into the people that they want to become. I want every Trans person to have a dream and to be able to attain that dream. The work the Center does with UCI Gender Diversity Program is absolutely incredible and I’m so excited to see what the future has in store for us. I’m just so happy to be able to see everything come to fruition.
Miliana Singh, LGBT Health Care & Transgender Services Coordinator, LGBT Center OC