Case #2

Not a Great Experience for an 18 Year Old

I have a kidney malformation that resulted in an abundance of kidney stones when I was a teenager. In my first year of university I was sent to a clinic I'd never been to before for a series of ultrasounds, including a transvaginal ultrasound.

The technician asked me if I was sexually active, to which I responded yes. She asked me if there was a chance I was pregnant, to which I responded no. The look she gave me was exhausted and condescending, as was her tone when she said "if you're sexually active, there may be a chance you are pregnant. When was your last period?"

I told her I was gay and she looked away from me and went back to her computer to prep, not a word more. That's when I noticed the crucifix and saint icons on her desk and got a sinking feeling in my stomach. She was rougher than other ultrasound technicians had been and didn't say a word to me more than strictly necessary.

This wasn't exactly a great experience for an 18 year old who had just become independent in managing her health care.