Affirming Care in Pharmacy

Ensuring Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients Feel Seen and Respected

I think from the age of 20, a few years prior to my own transition, it became extremely clear to me that there were disparities between many of the minority groups that I had surrounded myself with and found so much love in—the LGBTQIA+ community. Within this community, I was introduced to the term genderqueer, and it immediately resonated with me. For so long, I had assumed that the only way to explain my experience was as a overtly-feminine homosexual male—until I learned there was a word for people like me. Exploring this term further led me to the realisation that I wasn’t just genderqueer; I was a transgender woman. There was never a mistake—just a lack of the right language to describe myself at the time.

By the time I started using she/they pronouns, I was standing at a pivotal moment in my transition. The only thing between me and hormone therapy was a single prescription. That morning, I went to a pharmacy near my work at the time, feeling the roughness of my five o’clock shadow and dreading how it might invite misgendering. But I pushed through and headed to the pharmacy near my workplace to fill my script.

As the pharmacist called me over, they addressed me by my surname and then asked, “Was Denzyl your preferred name?” I was stunned. In that moment, I realised I had the power to step further into my authenticity—no legal paperwork, no major hurdles—just a small update in a pharmacy’s dispense software. They saw me for who I was, without hesitation or judgment. And it felt incredible.

Six years later, I celebrate my sixth year as a transgender woman and nearly six months as a registered pharmacist. Looking back, I’ve come to understand that facial hair isn’t just a transgender experience—many cisgender women have it too—and it no longer bothers me the way it once did. More importantly, I entered this career with a clear sense of purpose, knowing what I wanted to achieve, who inspired me, and where I was headed. My commitment remains the same: to fight for equality and advocate for health equity for all LGBTQIA+ Australians.

Just last week, I experienced some of the most rewarding moments in my career. One of my regular patients, a transgender man, received two supplies of testosterone instead of the usual one due to his stabilised hormone levels, which excited both of us. I dispensed testosterone for a younger transgender patient for the first time, which ended in tears of joy and a hug as I taught them a short skincare routine for managing the upcoming acne side-effects, as well as reassuring them that the euphoria they were about to feel would be life-changing. A mother introduced me to her transgender daughter, whom I had not yet met but had been dispensing estrogen scripts for months prior. She thanked me for sending home resources and helping her give her daughter the best healthcare possible.

Then, there are the challenges. I ended my week with a patient who hesitated when I asked for their name. “The dispensary software notes read—TAGD Patient formerly known as [Redacted]. [Redacted] is a transgender male who uses he/him pronouns. Medicare name is currently [Redacted, but prefers [Redacted] until their records are updated.” But somehow, it had slipped through the cracks. They mentioned that during their last visit, they were misgendered and deadnamed. I saw the hesitation in their face and their uncomfortable body language. I immediately apologised and fixed it.

In these circumstances, we as pharmacists aim to mitigate risks and ensure such incidents do not happen again. But I have worked at many pharmacies, and this still happens—accidentally or not.

I reached out to pharmacists and members of Queer Pharmacists of Australia and PSA Early Career Pharmacists with a proposal to create a resource for ensuring transgender and gender-diverse patients receive affirming care—especially when prescriptions still display a birth name or deadname. The responses highlighted systemic barriers that require further investigation.

Linked below is the beginning of QPOA’s resource sheet with practical improvements for dispensing software to better support transgender patients:

The key takeaway is that respecting an individual’s identity is paramount. Many pharmacists are already implementing best practices to ensure preferred names are reflected accurately in dispensing software, even when Medicare details are outdated.

Small but meaningful changes—such as leaving pop-up notes, creating safeguards against name overrides, and actively checking in with patients—contribute to a more inclusive and affirming pharmacy experience. These simple steps can have a profound impact on the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse patients.

As pharmacists, we are in a unique position to lead the way in making healthcare safer, more accessible, and more respectful for LGBTQIA+ Australians. By adapting our dispensing software and fostering a culture of inclusivity, we can ensure every patient receives the affirming care they deserve.