(Cover image by Ileana Haberman)
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In their book, Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender (NYU Press, 2021),
shuster makes an important intervention
in how we understand the development of this field and how it is being used to "treat" gender identity today. Drawing on interviews with medical
providers as well as ethnographic and archival research, shuster examines how health professionals approach patients who seek gender-affirming care.
From genital reconstructions to hormone injections, the practice of trans medicine charts new medical ground, compelling medical professionals to plan
treatments without widescale clinical trials to back them up. Relying on cultural norms and gut instincts to inform their treatment plans, shuster shows
how medical providers' lack of clinical experience and scientific research undermines their ability to interact with patients, craft treatment plans, and
make medical decisions. This situation defies how providers are trained to work with patients and creates uncertainty. As providers navigate the developing
knowledge surrounding the medical care of trans folk, Trans Medicine offers a rare opportunity to understand how providers make decisions while facing
challenges to their expertise and, in the process, have acquired authority not only over clinical outcomes, but over gender itself.
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