The experience of trans or transvestite women in accessing public health services.

Objective: to understand the meanings of being a trans or transvestite woman in the care provided by Unified Health System health professionals.

Methods: qualitative research, guided by Heidegger's phenomenology, with 10 trans or transvestitewomen residing and using the Unified Health System in a municipality in Minas Gerais. Fieldwork was carried out by interviews.

Results: trans or transvestitewomen reproduce the social patterns constructed and accepted by the female, with the search for hormonization being common, and, when it is difficult to obtain a prescription, they resort to self-medication. Social name use and acceptance by health professionals promote recognition. Trans or transvestitewomen experience prejudice on a daily basis, not only by professionals, but also because of the assumption of diagnoses by other users.

Final Considerations: transphobia promotes withdrawal from health services, due to fear, shame, knowledge about professionals' unpreparedness, triggering illness, social exclusion and violence.