The story of Robert Eads in the documentary named “Southern Comfort '' gives further insight into the discrimination that trans people receive from the medical field simply for their gender identity. As if it wasn’t hard enough for trans people to seek treatment to alleviate their gender dysphoria, they are now even further resented by medical professionals for the way they identify as, denying them of essential medical needs.
Robert Eads was a transgender man who suffered from ovarian cancer. Despite his efforts to receive treatment before the progression got too grave, many medical professionals that he saw refused to treat him as they believed it would ruin their personal reputation. Considering this took place in the south, a region where conservative ideologies ran rampant, this was believed to be a sufficient enough reason to deny Robert of treatment.
However, once Robert was given the opportunity to receive treatment, the cancer became too advanced and aggressive. Thus, Robert decided to spend his last year of life with his found family. His previous family, consisting of his parents and children, disowned him for who he was. Even in his time of need, they refused to see him for the person he was. So he spent his remaining time with his girlfriend and community, dying in a nursing home with them beside him.
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