CAMH: Terminate Dr. Kenneth Zucker as Head of the Gender Identity Clinic
For Ontario trans* and queer people who wish to obtain sex reassignment surgery (SRS), begin hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and receive other mental health support, the chances of getting it within a reasonable time are slim. The available services cannot meet the demand, resulting in long waiting lists (1-2 years min), and the only body currently able to recommend SRS covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) is the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. The awful irony is that the head of the Gender Identity Clinic (GID) is a transphobic, alleged sex abuser . He is extremely dehumanizing, and believes in “reparative therapy” which will “cure trans people.” This is especially harmful to queer youth who are ignorant to how far-fetched this man’s thinking is. To think that being transgender is a mental illness in 2014, and have someone who believes this in a position of such power is absolutely beyond me. Signing this petition will help bring attention to a very serious matter and help queer folks get the proper help they need. Mr. Kenneth Zucker is being paid a salary of $122k+ (public disclosure, 2011) to deny an oppressed group of people their basic living rights. As of April 14, 2014, he is breaking the law; Mr. Zucker is in direct violation of the new human rights laws implemented for transgender folks. Along with all the signatories of my petition, I am calling upon CAMH to conduct a thorough investigation in conjunction with the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC). Due to Mr. Zucker’s infractions, he should be stripped of his ability to practice “medicine,” and subsequently terminated as head of the Gender Identity Clinic. Here are some articles for further reading on the subject: Dr. Kenneth Zucker’s War On Transgenders $325,000+ in salaries for Zucker & Blanchard to pathologize trans people
This is the petition to have Dr. Kenneth Zucker terminated from CAMH’S GID clinic. please sign, signal boost, and forward.
Trans in Toronto and looking for Hormones?
I had an appointment with this doctor last Saturday, and their basic mission statement is “It’s too hard for trans people to get hormones, so I want to make it easier.” They ask as few invasive questions as possible, with the exception of finding something to write down to justify a prescription, which is entirely covered by OHIP - “What does being trans mean to you personally, and what difficulties do you encounter that you want to fix with the hormones?” After that, they ask you to take a blood test (also covered by OHIP), and read over some information before the next appointment, where they can review the results and prescribe!
The only catch is that they’re only around on weekends, as during the week they spend their time offering medical services in northern Ontario, near Algonquin park. Aside from that, their Toronto location is easily accessible on the TTC, right near Christie Station. The only downside is that Christie Station has no elevator, and the office itself is riddled with stairs - I would still check it out though, if it would be possible to travel from Bathurst Station, which does have an elevator, and work something out beforehand in regards to avoiding the stairs in the building.
