CJ's Story
After a few months of seeing the therapist, I thought of a name that suited me best. My therapist and I then started to do the paperwork to process a name change. On September 5, 2018, I handed in the papers to the courts, and on November 2, 2018, my name officially became CJ Sean Ehrlich through the Supreme Court in Riverhead. I thought the process of changing my name would have helped with my gender dysphoria. However, it didn’t, and that’s when I thought about going on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). During this time, I was going back and forth with my gynecologist, who treated transgender patients but didn't want to take me as his patient. They were disrespectful.
In August 2020, I wanted a total hysterectomy to remove an ovarian cyst. The gynecologist’s office did not want to do a total hysterectomy, and they did not provide me with an option to remove the cyst. I changed from that gynecologist to one that would remove the ovarian cysts. The new gynecologist recommended a total hysterectomy since all the sonograms reported that the cyst had grown. After speaking to my new gynecologist, they referred me to a gynecologic oncologist for a total hysterectomy. I met with the gynecologic oncologist for the hysterectomy consultation. They approved the total hysterectomy in November 2020. I handed in two letters of support, one from my therapist and one letter from my HRT doctor, to make sure I was mentally ready for the upcoming hysterectomy shortly after the consultation. On January 21, 2021, the total hysterectomy was complete.
Problem Statement:
The transgender and non-binary communities face barriers in accessing fundamental resources, including healthcare services, support organizations, and transition support, vital to their journey, pointing to an urgent need for more accessible avenues to ensure these essential resources during their transition.
Production Description
The transgender and non-binary communities encounter significant challenges in accessing fundamental resources, such as healthcare services and transition support, essential for their journey & pointing to an urgent need for more accessible avenues to ensure these resources during their medical transition and journey.
The app is also designed to make it easy for transgender and non-binary individuals to find healthcare providers and support networks without the need to navigate through multiple websites or rely on scattered recommendations and mixed reviews.
Value Proposition
beyondbinary is for transgender and non-binary individuals to find healthcare providers that won’t give the community barriers in accessing fundamental healthcare services. It will allow transgender and non-binary individuals to easily find healthcare providers without the need to browse through multiple websites, read reviews, or seek recommendations from social media.
Solution
The beyondbinary app, aims to make the process for transgender and non-binary individuals to find healthcare providers without facing barriers, support groups, and organizations and identify the different states that are trans-friendly and Anti-trans easier. Beyondbinary streamlines information and provides a centralized platform that eliminates the need for users to search through various platforms for healthcare providers. Beyondbinary will be creating a user-friendly experience for finding and accessing resources.
Beyondbinary aims to create a user-friendly experience for individuals undergoing transition. In doing so, the app goes around the barriers outlined in articles, such as Common Barriers to Healthcare for Transgender People in the U.S. Southeast, Barriers to Quality Health Care for the Transgender Population, and Health Care Providers’ Comfort with and Barriers to Care of Transgender Youth, ultimately contributing to improved healthcare access for the transgender and non-binary population.
What is Beyondbinary?
Beyondbinary is an online platform for transgender and non-binary individuals to find healthcare and other services without barriers.
The app makes it easy for transgender and non-binary individuals to find healthcare providers and support networks without the need to navigate through multiple websites or rely on scattered recommendations and mixed reviews. This app is particularly significant as it provides a simple way for transgender and non-binary individuals to connect with healthcare providers, support groups, LGBT events, friends in the area, and organizations.
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UI Style Guide
Competion
Beyondbinary competition is social media which would give users the option to find healthcare providers through recommendations, Facebook groups, and more. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google searches, and Twitter have been striving to find a healthcare provider that would give a positive experience.
The transgender and non-binary communities encounter significant challenges in accessing fundamental resources, such as healthcare services and transition support, essential for their journey and pointing to an urgent need for more accessible avenues to ensure these resources during their transition.
Marketing
The marketing strategy for beyondbinary is to reach out to various transgender and non-binary organizations across Long Island. The aim is to establish partnerships wherein these organizations assist in promoting the app during their support groups or events. Especially non-profit organizations like the Trevor Project, PFY (Pride for Youth), & the LGBT Network are a priority for CJ. Collaborating with these organizations not only app outreach but aligns with a mission to support transgender and non-binary community.
Introducing the application directly to local transgender and non-binary organizations is perceived as the most effective approach to attracting new users. I plan to deploy physical marketing materials and posters in community centers, hospitals, and care facilities. Additionally, distributing informational tri-folds at healthcare centers catering to the transgender and non-binary community will highlight the app's benefits. These materials aim to simplify the process of finding healthcare providers and support networks for transgender and non-binary individuals, streamlining what can often be a fragmented and challenging search process.
I'm exploring broader advertising avenues, including social media platforms, by having an ad campaign for the app of the people using beyondbinary and their experience with and without beyondbinaryand participating in tabling events at pride celebrations across Long Island, particularly during Pride Month in June. I'm also seeking potential ambassadors who can champion beyondbinary within their networks, further amplifying its visibility and impact within the community.