In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of Trans Normal, Jo Ellis and co-host Dr. Laura Targownik talk with a rural family doctor who’s spent nearly a decade providing full-spectrum medical care — including gender-affirming treatment — to patients in small-town America.What makes this conversation especially powerful is her dual perspective: she’s not only a physician who’s helped trans patients navigate the system — she’s also the parent of a trans child. That personal journey challenged how she sees medicine, parenting, and what it really means to affirm someone’s identity.Together, the three explore:What gender-affirming care actually looks like inside real clinics — not political talking pointsThe shifting legal landscape that’s restricting care in many statesThe emotional and ethical challenges of balancing caution with compassionThe difference between prescribing hormones for a patient and supporting your own child through transitionWhy “shared decision-making” and informed consent matter more than everHow empathy, science, and parenting instincts can coexist — even when politics say otherwiseThis episode goes far beyond headlines — it’s about humanity, trust, and what it means to do the right thing when both your patient and your child are counting on you.Due to the increasing risk to doctors who provide GAC and parents of trans children, we took extra steps to protect our guest's identity.🎧 Hosted by: Jo Ellis & Dr. Laura Targownik 👤 Guest: Family physician and parent of a trans child in rural U.S. 📍 Topics: Trans healthcare, parenting, puberty blockers, informed consent, medical ethics, rural medicine, compassion in practice