iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Future Pediatric Endocrinologist coming June 2028!

A picture of the OP. They are a white masculine looking person with circular glasses. They are smiling at the camera. They are wearing a blue checked dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a solid maroon tie. They have short brown hair and a brown chin beard. The background is a gradient of light purple to yellow color.

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

That year I searched the Army Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). And 13 years later I was an Army HPSP recipient. And 25 years later, here I am, a doctor, an Army veteran, and stuck in the memory of that day which changed the lives of so many, including myself.

060

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I remember the pain and suffering of classmates who lost their parents in the attack. I remember feeling helpless. I remember wanting to do something, anything to help.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I remember the smoke which came days later from NYC. I remember years later as a high school senior my EMT instructor telling us stories about his experiences on the ground floor.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I remember being sent home early from school and my parents watching the news on the television. It struck me then why my school turned off the TVs.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Soon I heard the rumors. Terrorists attacked New York City. The twin towers were no more. I remember being in English class with Mr. Elliot, and him being the only one to tell us the truth about what had happened.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I remember being in photography class at Paul J. Gelinas junior high school and someone saying the televisions weren’t working. TVs were typically on during lunch. I thought was that it was a bit odd but I didn’t think much of it.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I was 14. I was living on Long Island in Setauket, NY. My memory of that day is disjointed.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I did what I set out to do, but also wonder how much more I could have done for the military if Trump hadn’t decided to scapegoat faithfully serving trans people in the military not just once, but twice.

170

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Sept 11th, 2001 was a big reason I decided to join the military as a doctor. I wanted to do more for my country, be a part of something bigger than me. 25 years later I have completed 11 years of service, won awards for teaching, and been banned twice for being trans in the military.

A picture of the Original Poster. They are a white masculine person with short brown hair and circular glasses. They are pointing up to two faculty teaching awards. They are also wearing a t-shirt form HRC which says “Proud Veteran”.

2100

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Trump’s America is not the one I chose to serve, but I will keep fighting and standing up for the America I did.

1110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Living my best life being unabashedly me. Queer, trans, and happy.

A picture of the OP. They are a white masculine looking person with short brown hair and circular rimmed glasses. They have a brown beard on their chin. They are smiling at the camera against a brick background. They are wearing a black t-shirt with a rainbow icon which states, “Austin EMS Association”.

2201

Reposted by Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he)

The House of Pod @kavehmd.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

This episode is getting people’s attention and I can’t tell if it’s because people are interested in testosterone or The Odyssey

6262

Reposted by Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he)

The House of Pod @kavehmd.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Pete’s War on Low T! Chatting with @ledgemd.bsky.social & Myke Cole about the new mandatory annual testosterone screening for service members over 30. What low T really means, risks/benefits of treatment and if the Odyssey was a good movie. Links: tinyurl.com/yv52ttk3

83610

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Probably in the old days of Twitter, and I would indeed be interested.

130

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

I’m just a Peds Endo PGY-5, but I do know the military healthcare system very well and the use of testosterone in cis men as well as trans men. And as of this past month, am no longer bound by Article 88 of the UCMJ.

271

Reposted by Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he)

Patrick Hickey, MD @pwhickey.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Well said. And the comment about the burden of interpreting and managing these test results at scale getting shifted to the clinicians least prepared for the nuance required is 🎯

0142

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

What a way to place an additional burden on an already overtaxed military healthcare system and actually decrease military readiness.

1102

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

This is on top of the issues with giving T to cis men who don’t need it like chance for increased hostility (not just against the nation’s enemies), gynecomastia, and infertility. And that’s not even counting the increase in strokes(!) from polycythemia.

1101

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

So that means the burden will be on the unit PAs and GMOs, who don’t know the appropriate time/way to get a testosterone level, at what levels to supplement, how to supplement, with what to supplement, how to monitor it, or the adverse effects of T therapy.

191

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Not to mention(!) that the burden won’t be on Endos or Urologists because there aren’t enough in the military to handle all the men in the military above the age of 30.

162

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Re: Hegseth to screen for low testosterone in all military men >30 from an ex-military doc This is an astonishing level of utter hypocrisy of allowing HRT to cis men, with far less backing medical literature to even support screening asymptomatic cis men for low T levels vs trans HRT.

1239

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

So we were concerned for costs for trans military members which make up a small percentage of the military, but we don’t care about this? Get ready for a country shortage of T and waving away of being non-deployable for having an “unstable hormone condition” or “using an injectable medication”.

171

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

They are a huge soccer fan. Heia Norge! 🇳🇴

A tan pit bull mix dog looks at the person holding the camera expectantly. Bear, the dog, is hoping the person puts down the camera and throws the small soccer ball in front of them.

160

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

There is power in Trans existence. In simply being. In standing tall despite the weight of an unexamined, directed hatred. It may not seem like much, but it comes with a power that a man like Trump will never understand, or ever fully diminish.

141

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

So I am up at 1am, with only my words to act as a defense, to act as a temporary balm to it all. It’s not enough. It can’t be. Not with the level of damage done. However, it’s enough for now.

120

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

As a Trans veteran, Trump’s America is one of deeply rooted discordance. I chose to serve, among the 1% of Americans serving on active duty. The only 1% I chose to be a part of. Trump has turned my service into a mockery.

130

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

He placed a target on the Trans community (among others). He does this while displaying an increasingly level of Presidential overreach quite reminiscent of 1930s Germany. Target, Distract, Dictate. Rinse and Repeat.

120

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

However, it was Trump himself who turned Trans people into a target with his tweet in 2017, calling for a ban of Trans people in the military. By doing so, Trump paved the way for the vilifying of a group of Americans who only make up roughly 1% of Americans.

121

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I remember giving a morning report on Trans Awareness Day in March 2021 at Walter Reed as a senior Pediatric Resident, that the more recent wave of anti-Trans legislation marked a new chapter in Trans history.

130

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Prior to the Trans Tipping point in 2014, many weren’t actively aware of Trans people’s existence. Increased visibility lead to increased critique, however the Trans critical movement started to pick up speed in 2020.

120

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Let’s talk. It’s now 1am in the morning and I’m up contemplating how this man effectively has turned many in the country against trans people.

192

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Oops, I messed up the thread count number, but *shrugs*. Oh well.

010

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

And continue to work on my 2026 New Year’s resolution of finishing a first draft of my memoir of my time as a trans military Pediatrician during COVID and two trans military bans. 3/3

120

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

-Submit IRB, and complete trans healthcare/LGBTQ+ curriculum -Save money for a house and if one becomes available in my dream neighborhood, not to be afraid to jump on it -Drink more water -Work on weight lifting 2/2

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

First year of fellowship effectively down, so I’m making some new academic year resolutions and goals. -Go to at least one conference (looking at PES and/or Creating Change: let me know of others which you reccomend) -Network and continue to make connections in the world of LGBTQ+ Health 1/1

160

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

The horrors persist. But so do I. And I plan to thrive. -RJ Ledgerwood

1101

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Existing becomes Bravery. Joy becomes Resistance. Success becomes Rebellion.

120

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

I do know that I am me today. A doctor. (Your parents must be proud) A veteran. (Thank you for your service) A trans person. (Vile, disgusting, mentally ill) A Like. A Heart. A Mocking Laughter.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

What does it mean to be Trans in America in June 2026? I live for today and plan for tomorrow. I review where I can not be me, in the land of the Free. Then review again because what was yesterday is no longer. I feel Pride, but the volume has been lowered. I don’t know if it was me. Or him.

140

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Nothing is perfect because life never is, but I’m having fun at my job and can finally see myself in a job like this for a career. So yeah, good year.

080

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I no longer hate my morning drive. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I’m tired and cranky in the mornings, but the feeling is not dread. People are kind to me in a way the military never was to me. They support me and find who I am to be a strength and not a flaw.

150

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Starting about 7 years ago, I started to dread my drive into work. It became the hardest part of my day and going through the military gate, just a reminder of who and what I belonged to. A reminder that I was stuck only getting to do a percentage of what I wanted to.

110

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Finishing up year 1 of my Pediatric Endocrine program. In reflection of the past year, I have to go back a bit.

150

Riordan Ledgerwood, MD (they/he) @ledgemd.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

5 years today since graduating residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. To graduate from a military residency is something I never thought would no longer be possible for trans people. A snapshot of history past and present.

0121