When we age, the body can naturally undergo a gradual decline in some of the hormones it produces, and sometimes we experience a faster reduction when we have underlying health problems. For these health problems, doctors might suggest hormone therapy if safe for you. Usually, women consider hormone therapy treatment after they go through menopause in order to combat the symptoms they endure. Although hormone therapy isnt the right option for everyone, women should consult with their primary care provider in order to find out if its right for them. You may not be entirely knowledgeable about what bioidentical hormones are, and thats okay. Without getting too technical about how theyre made, bioidentical hormones are derived from plants and maintain the same chemical function as natural human hormones. They just come from a different manufacturer, thats all! The same enzymes in your body that process or break down the hormones as part of normal metabolic function can do the same thing for the bioidentical hormones because theyre designed to achieve the same biological responses as natural hormones. When you have hormone therapy that incorporates bioidentical hormones as part of the treatment plan, the proper balance is personalized for you. If … Continue reading →

Today, advanced reproductive technologies provide greater options for two women seeking to have a child together. Reciprocal IVF is an iteration of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process whereby one partner assumes the role of the egg donor, and the other the role of the gestational carrier. Partner #1 undergoes the egg retrieval process and those eggs are then fertilized using donor sperm. An embryo(s) is selected and transferred into the uterus of partner #2, who will carry the pregnancy should the embryo successfully implant. The treatment protocol is routine in cases where an egg donor is involved, and only recently extended its reaches into this socially progressive function. Reciprocal IVF, aka co-maternity or shared maternity, has opened new procreative doors for lesbian couples and pre-transition trans men. Splitting the IVF process into two distinct parts allows both women to participate in the conception and birth of a child, alongside a known or anonymous sperm donor. It also allows trans men to participate in the procreative process should they elect to undergo the IVF process prior to beginning hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery, and utilize the resulting embryos for treatment with a female partner. Reciprocal IVF is a … Continue reading →

Becki McGuinness was left infertile by aggressive cancer treatment when she was just 23-years-old. Now 30, she's launching a national campaign to ensure women facing cancer are given all the fertility options she should have had. This is her story... "I was 21 when I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer in my sacrum and spine. Because the cancer was so aggressive, and located around my pelvis, I knew there was a chance my fertility could be affected by treatment. But doctors explained to my mum and I what treatment I'd be having and told us there were no other options for my condition. We took them at their word. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below I went into treatment believing there was no other option, knowing there was a chance I might come out infertile, but also being advised that infertility "doesn't happen to everyone" as a result. I had six months of chemotherapy, with all the stereotypical side effects like my hair falling out, and then six weeks of daily radiotherapy. "I was 23 when the test came back showing that I was infertile" It was during radiotherapy that my early menopause began; … Continue reading →

Since the inauguration of Trump, the nation has seen an explosion of progressive involvement in politics, ranging from protest marches to phone calls to congressmen. People have realized that an active role in the policy world is key in achieving their goals around defending human rights, and it's been amazing to witness especially at the state level of government. Watching so many activists enter the realm of policy advocacy reminds me of my own journey,one that included first learning how to testify forhearingsin the Texas Legislature as a college student in 2013. I realize this might bea step that many activists have not yet taken in their own states, so my hope is to providean idea of what this process entails and some best practices for success. Here's a comforting hint: It's easier than you think. Whether we're planning a protest or testifying at a hearing, I always tell folks that the first step of anything isresearch. In 2011, I attended a Lobby Day hosted by Equality Texas that taught LGBTQ Texans and their families how to talk to representatives, senators, and their staffers about legislation that impacted the community. I learned how to use the state legislature's website to … Continue reading →

Asia Kate Dillon will be presenting the acting award in history with no gender distinction at this year's MTV Movie and TV Awards in Los Angeles. AP Jamie Shupe, the first person to be legally recognized as gender non-binary, at home in Oregon.(Photo: Jamie Shupe) America has slowly begun to acknowledge that for many people, gender is much more complicated than simply being a man or a woman. And a growing number of Americans are seeking recognition of a third gender, neither exclusively male or female, under the label non-binary. People typically think of transgender as meaning gender reversal, where someone identifies as the opposite sex from their birth sex. But transgender is an umbrella term used to cover a wide spectrum of people whose gender identity is different from the one they were assigned at birth. More than one-third of transgender people describe themselves as non-binary, which the National Center for Transgender defines as "people whose gender is not exclusively male or female, including those who identify with a gender other than male or female, as more than one gender, or as no gender, identifying as a combination of genders or not identifying with either gender at all." Non-binary … Continue reading →