This is probably the best piece of advice that I’ve read these days. If you are a queer person that is not married, please take this advice seriously!
if you are part of the queer community or have an estranged relationship with your family (esp. your parents), I am once again begging you to create and file an advance directive.
— Mx. D. E. Anderson (@diannaeanderson) January 30, 2022
Families may mean well, but as a queer person, do they have your best interest at heart? If you were incapacitated and transitioning, do you trust your family to honor your name and not dead-name you? Do you live with a boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other miles away from your family? And to those that were thrown out of the house for being LGBT+, do you trust the people who threw you out of the house to make sure you get the care you need? In the responses to Mx. Anderson’s tweet above, I read the heartbreaking response from an ICU caregiver who had a 20something patient whose only contact was their mother, who constantly misgendered them, among other things.
The good thing is that in the United States plus DC, PR, and USVI, there are forms available for free, and AARP has them linked. Head to this link, find your state, fill it out and print it! And if you don’t have a printer at your disposal, use this link to find a library near you. Remember, libraries are for everyone, and you should be able to print there if need be.