Dr. Karen Muehl
Charlotte, NC
Dr. Karen Muehl is a clinical psychologist who works with trans adults in various stages of their transitions. Most of her clients are trans or gender nonconforming, and nondiscrimination ordinances (NDOs) would affect her practice tremendously.
She described the difference between problems that cause someone to come see a mental health care professional, ones that they can change, and what she describes as environmental stressors. Because her clients don’t have control over these stressors, they must develop and manage coping strategies in response.
One of the struggles Karen finds in treating patients is in separating the environmental stressors of living as a trans person from the personal work that therapy is designed to help with. “Clients will tell me that they want to transition more publicly, but they’re worried about keeping their job,” she said. “Or that they want to pursue a more fulfilling career, but their current job is safe because their supervisors already know they’re trans.” Her list of environmental stressors include housing, job security, medical care, school, what kind of neighborhoods clients are able to afford, and the cultural stigma that can make something as simple as taking a walk a dangerous activity.
Karen acknowledged that NDOs– including those that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, and faith – don’t solve all the discrimination, but there’s at least something to provide a legal recourse if they do experience discrimination. As of now, her clients are not able to have that reassurance – the lack of nondiscrimination protections leaves them vulnerable to being denied the services they need, just because they are trans. A large part of her job is helping people develop the tools they need to navigate their lives and the stressors they encounter within them. Being vulnerable to discrimination is a massive stressor, and protection from an NDO would be an enormous tool – one that could provide her clients with the security they need to pursue healthy growth.
“Everyone has a need to belong,” Karen said. “A sense of belonging is fundamental to our health and well-being. Risk of unemployment or people being able to turn you away, deny you housing, just because you’re trans? That tells trans people they don’t belong, and it causes real damage.”
Dr. Karen Muehl is a member of the Charlotte Transgender Healthcare Group, an interdisciplinary collective of providers which seeks to reduce healthcare disparity experienced by the trans community in the region. Join her in calling for statewide action on LGBTQ protections by clicking here and sending a message to your elected officials in the North Carolina General Assembly.
Note: This profile was written by Kate Williams.