A Conversation With Dr. Sheila Kirk
By Angela Gardner TGF Assistant Editor
I first met Dr. Sheila Kirk in the early 1980s at a Joyce
Dewhurst Pocono Weekend. I remember her as a gracious lady who
complimented me on my dress. It may have been around that very event
that Sheila became involved with the transgender community. She is
still a gracious lady, and recently she kindly took some time from
her busy schedule to answer some questions for TGForum. You can reach Sheila Kirk, M.D via Email
TGF: When did you first realize that you were not "alone"?
That there were others who shared your same heart and spirit?
S.K.: It was slightly before attending a Joyce Dewhurst
Poconos weekend (this was before JoAnn Roberts took over the event)
that I began to reach out and find other transgendered organizations
and people. When I attended that Poconos weekend, I meet several
sisters who lived in Boston. They had established the very early
origins of what was later to be known as IFGE. This was in the early
1980's and I was stimulated to begin contributing medical articles to
IFGE's 1st publication. I began to have the realization that my
medical experience and knowledge could be used to help my sisters and
brothers in the Trans Community. It was during these years that I
conceived the plan to establish a medical facility that would be
staffed by Trans people, and have as its sole purpose medical and
surgical care for our community. After a great deal of time searching
for the right location in various parts of the country, in a
wonderful and unexpected twist of fate, I found that Pittsburgh
(where I had a successful ob/gyn practice for many years) was the
best locale to establish this center! In this city existed the
optimal facilities, and medical & surgical talent who could help
me to institute this much-needed center.
TGF: Tell us more about this center.
S.K.: It is called the Transgender Surgical & Medical
Care Center or TSMC for short. We are a full service center that
specializes in MTF/FTM GRS and related surgeries. We have also
pioneered techniques in rib removal, baldness correction and facial
feminization. My colleagues and myself are experienced, skilled
surgeons in trans surgery, and we utilize the latest proven
technologies and advanced surgical techniques to create for our
patients the most realistic cosmetic appearance, function and
sensitivity. What sets us apart from other GRS surgeons is that as a
transgendered person, I have intimate insight, personal concern and
unyielding commitment to provide to our community the best possible
care and management.
TGF: This has been a time of several "1sts" for you. You
were elected to the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria
board--the first trans physician to be elected, you established the
first full service surgical & medical center founded by a Trans
and you are the first Trans person to perform GRS surgery in our
community. How does this make you feel?
S.K.: I am, of course, honored to have been the first
physician to break through the sometimes imposing and rigid barriers
of the medical & surgical establishment to serve my community on
the HBIGDA board. And I am thankful for those who voted to elect me.
My appointment has allowed our community to have a voice in
establishing policy and procedure that hopefully will encourage
better communication and understanding of our healthcare needs. Being
the first to perform GRS and related surgeries for my community only
reinforces to me that we have a lot more work to do to completely
empower us in our medical and surgical options. We must not only be
surgical/medical consumers but we must also be afforded the right to
be our own surgical/medical providers.
TGF: You are happily married to a GG who supports you and
your endeavors. Please comment on the dynamics of your relationship.
S.K.: My union and Life Partnership with Pamela is the
pinnacle of my personal life. We share so much in common it's as if
our thoughts, even unexpressed, are almost always one. Her support of
my Transgender Spirit is only a part of what makes my life fulfilled
and joyous. We work together intimately and with huge success in what
we do in, and for, the Trans community. I know I am extremely
fortunate in this, and I am every grateful every day that we are in
each other's lives.
TGF: What do you see coming for the TG community in the
near future?
S.K.: Through the years, I've witnessed a phenomenal change
in society's awareness and knowledge of our community. And I believe
the potential for so much more is very real. However, we are the ones
that have obligation to give to society much more accuracy in their
understanding and appreciation of us. As I see it this can only come
about by us giving, and supporting each other with much more
appreciation and understanding.
TGF: Can you elaborate on that?
S.K.: At this time it is very important that individuals in
our community who have leadership position and visibility, utilize
their skills whether it be in medicine, politics and law, as well as
other areas, to bring empowerment and a unified spirit to our own
community. To put it bluntly, if we get our act together, we can
present very creditably and forcefully our value to the activities
and progress of the world. This is not
idealism, this is a very practical and obtainable goal, and vital to
the survival of our community and the world we exist in. We should
start now, and it should start with each and every one of us no
matter where we are in our development.
TGF: What special projects would you care to tell our
readers about?
S.K.: Because I am a surgeon and physician, I always have
an orientation to research and what it can do to further our good
health and success. Several of my research projects are in progress
and a large number of projects that I would like to put into study
are getting into motion. My post-op MTF survey is flourishing and is
providing important data. I want to study the effects of certain
medications in the MTF & FTM communities, for instance Propecia.
We need to conduct studies in reference to cardiovascular health in
both of our community's populations. There is not enough in the
medical literature to establish good data, sadly so much that we have
to rely on now is anecdotal information. I hope other transgendered
medical specialists with orientation toward research will begin to
implement some of these studies with me, and independently.
Dr. Kirk, who writes a regular monthly column here at TGF will also be available to talk to you in our Chat Room on Sept 15, 7-9 EDT.
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