CARIMAC Times 2016: The JREAM Edition Journalists Reviving Awareness of what Matters | Page 103

“To come out you need financial support, you
need support from community, friends, coworkers, employers. You need that support
and you need that encouragement,” she said.
Lost in transition
She officially began her physical transition in
2014 — a hurdle she had never been able to
reach, once again to the shortcomings of the
health care system.
“There’s no enabling environment, so you have
to create that environment. For me, I had to
create it,” Burton said.
“But there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.
When you look at the cascade of health care
services, there’s no room apart from certain
medical treatment for transgender [people].”
Transitioning is a long and complex process.
While it is a type of treatment, Karen Carpenter
stated not everyone acquires the same type
of treatment. She said some individuals are
content with only hormones, while others
are content with top surgery — acquiring or
removing breasts — and some wish to perform
bottom surgery to change their genitals. Jamaica
provides all methods except bottom surgery.
Burton noted that there are many challenges
in transitioning outside of surgery, such as
hormones and dermatologist appointments.
She said although many transgender women
may “look and pass the test” by appearing
feminine, they still speak with a masculine
tone, meaning vocal training is required as
well. The combined expense is a burden on
many seeking to transition.
“Some persons may be on minimum wage, some

persons can barely find food to eat. They don’t
have money to go and do all of that, so they will
always look like the worst …” she said.
She mentioned that she felt insulted by
depictions of transgender people in the media,
especially those by popular Jamaican editorial
cartoonist Clovis.
“Sometimes when Clovis draws them with the
big lip, and ears bore, and face bleach out, it
hurts me. Why? Because he’s drawing the reality.
But what is in place to change that? What is
there to create positive health and dignity so
that people may not look like that?” she said.
Burton added that the desperation often
leads some to get hormones through reckless
means, such as having a female friend get a
prescription for them, or buying hormones
online. But they risk taking incorrect doses,
and possible overdose.
She urged other transgender individuals to be
careful and wait until they have the support
needed to transition.
“For persons who are transitioning, I will try my
best to tell them that it’s better if you’re selfemployed, better if you had support, because
even when you have the financial help, support
is very critical... You need that support system
and financial help, and you need to speak with
a psychologist.”
For Burton, family is one of the most important
forms of support for any member of the LGBTQ
community. She dreams of raising her own
family one day, a desire she attributes to her
own rough family life.
“One major thing that I want to tell parents

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