Transgender health lead Donna Harding presented the DEFGLIS 3R model for understanding gender transition to health professionals at a conference in Brisbane last week.
The Australian New Zealand Professional Association for Transgender Health (ANZPATH) conference was attended by clinicians from the general medicine, surgical, endocrinology, psychiatry, psychology and other allied health.
The 3R model was collaboratively developed by DEFGLIS members to provide a common framework to better understand and communicate about gender transition. The framework was offerred to Defence during consultation to improve the guide "Understanding Gender Transition in the Workplace" in 2013.
With gender transition having so many variables, Harding noted that it would be impossible to create a perfect model, and that the development team had to settle on a framework that was effective in promoting understanding and communicating about gender transition from different viewpoints: the transitioning member and their team members, friends and managers.
“The 3R Model provides a framework that can be used when communicating the process of gender transition to the community at large, the media, educating employers and co-workers when a member of the workplace transitions and for people in transition to help explain the transgender experience,” said Harding.
The three phases in the model are:
- Realisation – the phase where a person discovers incongruence between the gender identity and physical body, most often resulting in gender dysphoria;
- Realignment – the phase where a person undertakes deliberate social adjustments and medical interventions to address gender dysphoria; and
- Resolution – which is the phase where a person’s dysphoria is relieved to the point that they can function comfortably in their affirmed gender.
Additional papers presented throughout the day were largely based on individual experiences and indicating common themes and threads running through their lived experiences and could be framed using the 3R model.
“While transition is very different for each individual, the 3R model can form a common reference point that enables communication to be more effective when talking about your own transition, or when formulating a workplace transition plan for an individual,” said Harding.
“It was pleasing to note that the model was well received by practitioners who were present and I hope for a broader uptake in the community.”
Donna Harding BSc, MN, RN is Registered Nurse and works for the Australian Army. She is a member of the DEFGLIS board and the lead for transgender health in DEFGLIS.
You can read more about gender transition from a 3R model perspective via the DEFGLIS Website:Link For Transitioning Members –Link for Managers