Norwegian Royalty and Transgender Health
Dagfinn Hoybraten, Norway’s former minister of Health and current leader of the Christian Democratic Party spoke at yesterday’s plenary session at the Biennial Symposium of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health currently taking place in Oslo. He had some basic but eloquent things to say about transgender people and the humane provision of health care to the community.
First, he assured the attendees that Norway will continue to provide surgeries in Oslo through its nationalized medical system. Second, he urged professionals to continue to take a cross-disciplinary approach to providing health care including advancing research both in surgical care as well as in the advancement of the social comfort of transgender people. Finally, he acknowledged that human rights are universal and, in the end, all any of us want is to be able to comfortably live our lives. He said that more knowledge will result in more acceptance of transgender people. Sometimes, he explained, people fear what they do not understand and knowledge can address that fear of the unknown.
Hoybraten told the over 400 attending medical and legal professionals that children ask questions when they see something that they do not understand. When given accurate answers, they are satisfied. As we get older, into adolescence and beyond, we stop asking about that which we do not understand. And the lack of answers gives rise to fear. He thanked the Norwegian organization, the Harry Benjamin Clinic (and the WPATH more broadly), for providing answers even to those who have stopped asking the questions.
His presentation was a great reminder to me in my advocacy to continue to provide answers even to those who have stopped asking the questions.
On a delightful note, the Prince of Norway attended the plenary session. We all rose as His Royal Highness entered the room. The conference organizers presented him with flowers and a book on the life of Christine Jorgenson, one of the first transsexual women to have her life discussed in the press. The Prince was told, “you take this and read it.” I hope he does.