Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he)

A picture of a white masculine looking person with circular glasses and short brown hair. They are wearing a light blue shirt which has the words, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion”.

Wearing the forbidden words…

An extremely powerful poem about the doublespeak trans troops are facing as they’re being forced out.

A snippet:

“They’ll tell you they’re your family
And that you won’t be forgotten
And take your name off the roster”

When I reflect on these times

I will remember those who stepped forward towards me

And I will remember those who stepped back

How Canada became the centre of a measles outbreak in North America Confirmed cases of measles in Canada are nearly three times higher than in the US, despite Canada's far smaller population.

The AB mom…”was saddened & horrified when she learned her daughter had measles, but also "frustrated and annoyed" at those choosing not to vaccinate their kids.

She called on people to … "protect the ones that can't protect themselves".

“My four-month-old shouldn't have gotten measles in 2025”

Met and unmet need for medical gender affirmation in the Australian non-binary community Background: There is a widely held assumption that non-binary people do not, or rarely, pursue gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) or gender-affirming surgery (GAS), however, little is known ab...

For those non binary people who desire it, access to GAHT and GAS have been shown to decrease depression, self-harm, suicidality & gender dysphoria, and improve quality of life (Hembree et al., Nolan et al., Olson-Kennedy & Warus, Pullen Sansfaçon et al.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

A close up of a drivers license. The text is “Sex: M”.

Alright! I am Kentucky official!

Let’s go!!!

Deeply, deeply disappointed by this as a Peds Endo fellow who wants to do trans care.

Actions like these narrow educational opportunities as well as cause suffering for trans adolescents receiving care and their supportive families.

Because that’s the only way they can justify the discrimination even though it’s not true.

A screenshot of the screen of a laptop. The screen shows a question from the annual military medical survey. It says, “Are you currently being evaluated for, have a current diagnosis of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria?” Then below it offers the options of “Yes” and “No”. In the corner it has the date of July 16th, 2025.

Now on the annual medical survey. This pic will be a sign in the future of the awful discrimination of trans people in the military.

Tell the truth and get kicked out for being yourself. Lie and get saddled with guilt and fear for being found out, simply because you wish to continue your service.

Week two of Peds Endo fellowship and loving life (been a loooong minute since I could say this).

Very cool that cis people can just access hormones willy nilly but trans people have to jump through a million hoops to get the same exact treatment

A picture of a white masculine looking person with brown hair and silver circular glasses. They are wearing a brown polo and a pipe cleaner crown with the words, “Fellow of the Week”.

First day of Peds Endo fellowship! I was met with balloons in my new office and a pipe cleaner crown. I missed silliness of Pediatrics. Here’s to a new chapter!

There are no words more powerful than:

“Welcome home”

Just got my first week schedule for fellowship and I am vibrating with excitement. I FINALLY get to start Peds Endo fellowship after wanting to do this for the past 6 years.

Proposed Medicaid cuts could put 35 Kentucky hospitals at risk of closing Kentucky had the most hospitals on the list of any state.

Trump's budget will put 35 hospitals in Kentucky at risk of closing. More than any other state.

That's right: Kentuckians will have to drive even further and wait even longer to receive the care they need — all so billionaires can pay less in taxes. bit.ly/3FVVuAK

The heavy weight which sits on my shoulders, which has only grown heavier, is lighter today, because I headed back to a place where others will help me carry the weight.

I bring this fight to Kentucky, but this time as someone who no longer has to be a token minority. Who has community around them. Who no longer has to stand alone.

But anyone who knows me, knows that I stand up for others. I believe in a healthy team and community, which believes in compassion and support. That is what I fight for. Why I fight.

Being trans is just a part of me, but it is this part which is being threatened right now. I don’t think people realize that if trans people were better accepted I wouldn’t feel the need to constantly discuss trans issues.

But I feel cautious optimism because I’m headed back home, to the place I figured out who I was, to people who don’t treat me as someone infectious, who feel they can’t even mention the word trans or who I am in case it may affect their careers.

I know things are rough right now. I will likely continue to be affected by my last 7 years of active duty as someone who was rejected for who they were yet used again and again as a resource, with and without my consent. As someone who did their best to be the best, exhaustingly.

As I look at my mostly empty Texas apartment and pack my car, I can’t help but feel a cautious optimism.

Be back in Kentucky next week and I couldn’t be happier about it!

The Pocket Guide to LGBTQ Mental Health is a down-to-earth, informative, and affirming manual for mental health clinicians working with patients of diverse gender and sexual identities. bit.ly/4mAluSq

On Juneteenth, we celebrate freedom and recommit ourselves to the work that remains undone. We remember that even in the darkest hours, there is cause to hope for tomorrow’s light.

This marching was messier than a bunch of Army docs in their first week of officer training.

I would know.

I applaud the silent protest and those higher up who allowed it.

A pic of the OP, a white trans masculine person with glasses, smiles at the camera. They are wearing a Centre College baseball cap and holding up a fan in Pride colors which has the text, “Kentucky is for Everyone”.

Supreme Court approves politicians’ morality play over the rights of parents, doctors, and their patients.

A picture of a small trophy with a golden plastic baby whose face looks like it’s split into two

A picture of a normal looking trophy with a three star trophy topper

I finally replaced the cursed baby of my nightmares.

Real talk:

After my experience as a trans person in the Army over the past 11 years, I fully expect to be mistreated at every turn.

And it’s put me off kilter to only receive support from my new civilian fellowship program.

It makes me want to be the best fellow I can be (IYKYK).