Gender Matters: Insights from a Physician
Gender Matters: Insights from a Physician invites healthcare providers into a compassionate conversation about gender inclusivity. Hosted by Dr. Shannon Panszi, a retired Ob/Gyn and seasoned gender advocate, this podcast draws on over a decade of experience to bridge the gap between medical practice and the lived experiences of transgender and nonbinary patients. Each episode combines insightful knowledge with practical advice, illustrating how providers can enhance their care by recognizing and challenging their own assumptions.
Join us as we explore a range of topics, from medical issues to broader societal themes, all designed to help you improve the care you deliver—not just for transgender and nonbinary patients, but for everyone. Subscribe and share to help spread awareness and foster a more inclusive healthcare environment for all!
Episodes
79 episodes
The Ethical Failure Behind the Closure of Gender-Affirming Care Clinics (#79)
This episode explores the ethical failure behind the closure of gender affirming care clinics and what happens when patients are left without continuity of care. Through a medical ethics lens, it explains why abruptly discontinuing treatment pl...
How Do You Know If You Should Share Your Pronouns? (#78)
Why do some people share their pronouns while others hesitate? And how do you know what’s right for you? In this episode, I break down why pronoun sharing should never be mandatory, and why it still carries real meaning. We’ll look a...
What One Word Tells Us About Gender Today (77)
Language shifts long before most people notice it, and when one word keeps resurfacing, it’s worth asking why. In this episode, I walk through a single term that’s showing up more often in conversations about gender and what its res...
DOJ Subpoenas Private Patient Info: Why It Matters Beyond Transgender Care (76)
On July 9th, the Department of Justice issued subpoenas to clinics, doctors, and even drug manufacturers connected to gender-affirming care. These subpoenas appear to include private patient information.In this episode of Gender Matt...
A Physician’s Response to U.S. v. Skrmetti (75)
What happens when legal decisions about healthcare don’t align with medical reasoning?In this episode, A Physician’s Response to U.S. v. Skrmetti, I invite you to consider the recent court ruling through a medical lens. I...
Gender Matters Takes on The Protocol: Episode 1 Discussion
In this episode of Gender Matters: Insights from a Physician, Dr. Shannon and Bandit kick off a new series in response to "The Protocol," The New York Times' limited podcast on gender-affirming care.This first conversat...
How Many Trans* Youth Retransition? Far Fewer Than You Think (73)
If you’ve ever wondered, “What if they change their mind?”—you’re not alone. This episode breaks down the newest data on how often trans youth stop hormone therapy and retransition to a cisgender identity.We walk through a 2025 ...
Utah’s Gender-Affirming Care Findings: One Doctor, One Outsider, One Honest Conversation (72)
Bandit is back!This time to talk through Utah’s newly released findings on gender-affirming care for youth. In this episode, we break down what the report actually says, why it matters, and why it’s being ignored.One of us is a ph...
Fertility and Youth Gender-Affirming Care: Facts, Assumptions, and Unknowns (71)
What if the thing you’ve been told is a fact… is actually just an assumption?In this episode of Gender Matters: Insights from a Physician, we take a closer look at fertility and gender-affirming care for youth. From social and m...
Part 2: Gender Q&A Without Judgment—A Conversation You Might Need Too (70)
In this follow-up episode, I answer honest gender questions from a friend in a space grounded in curiosity, not debate. We talk about student names, parental rights, and how to handle pronoun mistakes with care. A practical, thoughtful conversa...
Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: Fictional Truth or Truly Fictional (69)
"Rapid onset gender dysphoria" sounds urgent, but is it even real? In this episode of Gender Matters: Insights from a Physician, I trace the origins of the term, explore why it resonates with some parents, and explain why the science d...
Gender Q&A with a Curious and Unfamiliar Friend (68)
This week’s episode is a little different.I invited a friend I’ve known since high school onto the podcast to ask me anything about gender. He describes himself as curious but unfamiliar with the topic, and while he’s never felt personal...
Transgender Rights Aren't 'Far-Left.' They're Human Rights. (67)
Transgender rights are often mislabeled as a "far-left" issue, but that framing erases the humanity at the center of the conversation. In this episode, I call out the confusion between political strategies and basic human rights, and why it's c...
Who’s Protecting Kids? Supporters or Deniers of Gender-Affirming Care? The Elephant Test (66)
Everyone says they’re protecting kids. But what does real protection look like?Inspired by elephants during a San Diego earthquake, this episode offers a five-part “elephant test” for adults on all sides of the gender-affirming care deba...
Perfect or Banned? The Double Standard in Gender-Affirming Care (65)
Why is gender-affirming care expected to be flawless when no other area of medicine is? In this episode, we unpack what “perfection” really means in this context—the idea that even one bad outcome is treated not as an individual case to learn f...
Even If You Don't Believe It, Sex and Gender Are Not the Same (64)
The common misuse of the term “Spanish” to describe any Spanish-speaking patient stuck with me—and years later, it became the perfect analogy for a much deeper misunderstanding: the difference between sex and gender. In this episode, I explore ...
Transgender Visibility: A Computer, a Loved One, History, and Hope (63)
In this special episode, I step away from my usual format to share a personal story that lives at the intersection of visibility, history, and love.What does it mean for a young transgender person to see themselves reflected in the world...
From Headlines to Half-Truths: The Stories Shaping Transgender Rights (62)
We all know numbers can be misleading—but what happens when distorted facts are used to justify taking away people’s rights?In this episode, I break down some of the most common narratives used to stir fear and confusion about transgende...
How Homeland Security’s Policy Change Affects Transgender Patients
A recent change to Homeland Security policy has raised serious concerns for transgender individuals and their families. In this episode, we explore how the removal of gender identity from protected categories could impact privacy, safety, and t...
Scientific Integrity in the Transgender Sports Debate (60)
When discussing transgender girls in sports, accuracy matters. No matter your stance, one correction is essential: transgender girls are not "boys playing girls’ sports." This distinction isn't just about respect—it’s about scientific accuracy....
Everywhere but Unnecessary: Rethinking Sex Markers in Healthcare
Does Your Hospital System Need to Reassess?Sex markers are everywhere in healthcare—from ID bracelets to patient boards—but does their constant presence actually help deliver better care? Or does it do more harm than good? In this...
Think You're Gender Competent? A Reality Check (58)
Think your department has gender competency covered? What if the very confidence that you're "good" is the biggest red flag?In this episode, I break down the common pitfalls of assuming gender competency is a one-and-done achievement. Ho...
The Executive Order That Divides: Staying Focused on Patients, Not Politics (57)
When an executive order threatens gender-affirming care, emotions run high—for patients, families, and providers alike. It’s easy to feel frustrated, villainized, or even ready to walk away. But how do you stay committed to your values when the...
When Politics Scrubs ‘Transgender’—Here’s How Medicine Can Hold the Line
As federal websites erase mentions of “transgender,” how can medical professionals ensure all patients remain visible? In this episode, Dr. Shannon breaks down the critical role providers play in upholding medical accuracy—not jus...
Building Trust with Transgender Patients: 5 Simple Changes, No Approval Needed (#55)
Creating a more welcoming environment for transgender and nonbinary patients doesn’t have to be complicated—or require board approval. In this episode, I share five small but meaningful changes any physician can make to signal awareness and red...