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The National Womens Studies Association Conference

Cincinnati, Ohio USA

Saturday, June 21, 2008 (3:45-5:00 p.m.)

Millennium Hotel Downtown (North 200)

A Panel of Speakers Featuring:

Joelle Ruby Ryan, American Culture Studies/Womens Studies, Bowling

Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio

Katrina Rose, History Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

Andrea James, Deep Stealth Productions, Los Angeles, California

Élise Hendrick, Independent Scholar, Cincinnati, Ohio

The CrossPort Board is testing a new concept for communication for CrossPort Members. The private Message Forum is fully functional and in the testing phase. Currently, it is only available to the Board Members, but may be opened up to the full membership very soon. Any thoughts or concerns are greatly appreciated.

June 17, 2008

NCTE Applauds the AMA Call for "Removal of Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients"

The American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution yesterday calling for "public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder as recommended by the patient's physician." The declaration, known as Resolution 122, "Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients," was passed by the House of Delegates - AMA's primary decision-making body - at its annual conference in Chicago.

Resolution 122 affirms the effectiveness of medical treatment for transsexuals and the right to appropriate treatment. It also names as discriminatory the categorical denial of health insurance coverage for psychotherapy, hormonal and surgical treatments for transgender patients, and reiterates the AMA's opposition to discrimination based on gender identity. The full text of the resolution is below.

"America's physicians are saying that transgender people, like all others, deserve competent medical care based on what individual doctors and their patients determine is healthiest for each person," noted Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). "Doctors and patients, not insurance companies, should be making those choices. We are so glad that the AMA has taken a leadership role against the rampant discrimination that transgender people have faced for so many years in receiving appropriate medical care and equitable insurance coverage,"

Health insurance coverage has been made into prominent national issue recently thanks in part to a three year campaign by the AMA. NCTE has prioritized ending health insurance discrimination against transgender people.

RESOLUTION 122
Subject: Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients

Whereas, Our American Medical Association opposes discrimination on the basis of gender identity; and
Whereas, Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is a serious medical condition recognized as such in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV) and the International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision); and is characterized in the DSM-IV as a persistent discomfort with one's assigned sex and with one's primary and secondary sex characteristics, which causes intense emotional pain and suffering; and

Whereas, GID, if left untreated, can result in clinically significant psychological distress, dysfunction, debilitating depression and, for some people without access to appropriate medical care and treatment, suicidality and death; and

Whereas, The World Profession for Transgender Health, Inc. (WPATH) is the leading international, interdisciplinary professional organization devoted to the understanding and treatment of gender identity disorders, and has established internationally accepted Standards of Care for providing medical treatment of people with GID, including mental health care, hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery, which are designed to promote the health and welfare of persons with GID and are recognized within the medical community to be the standard of care for treating people with GID; and

Whereas, An established body of medical research demonstrates the effectiveness and medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery as forms of therapeutic treatment for many people diagnosed with GID; and

Whereas, Health experts in GID, including WPATH, have rejected the myth that such treatments are "cosmetic" or "experimental" and have recognized that these treatments can provide safe and effective treatment for a serious health condition; and

Whereas, Physicians treating persons with GID must be able to provide the correct treatment necessary for a patient in order to achieve genuine and lasting comfort with his or her gender, based on the person's individual needs and medical history; and

Whereas, Our AMA opposes limitations placed on patient care by third-party payers when such care is based upon sound scientific evidence and sound medical opinion; and

Whereas, Many health insurance plans categorically exclude coverage of mental health, medical, and surgical treatments for GID, even though many of these same treatments, such as psychotherapy, hormone therapy, breast augmentation or removal, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, orchiectomy, and salpingectomy, are often covered for other medical conditions; and

Whereas, The denial of these otherwise covered benefits for patients suffering from GID represents discrimination based solely on a patient's gender identity; and

Whereas, Delaying treatment for GID can cause and/or aggravate additional serious and expensive health problems, such as stress-related physical illnesses, depression, and substance abuse problems, which further endanger patients' health and strain the health care system; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association support public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder as recommended by the patient's physician. (New HOD Policy).

June 19, 2008

Congress to Hold First Ever Hearing
on Transgender Issues

Dear Friends,

Today the US House of Representatives announced America's first Congressional Hearing on transgender issues. The hearing, "An Examination of Discrimination Against Transgender Americans in the Workplace," is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 10:30 am in room 2175 of Rayburn House Office Building. Congressman Rob Andrews (D-NJ) called the hearing as Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor.

I am really proud of the role that NCTE played in getting us to this historical day. This is not only an opportunity to be truly heard by our fellow Americans, it will help to build the foundation for significant changes in federal laws protecting transgender people from discrimination. Witness have not yet been announced.

Committee hearings are open to the public and you are welcome to attend in person if you are in the area, but please be aware that space is limited. Some hearings are broadcast on CSPAN and streamed live through their internet site - we will keep you informed as we hear more details about the hearing.

For more information on the Committee on Education and Labor see their website: http://edlabor.house.gov/index.shtml

In Solidarity,
lobby day participants 2007

Mara Keisling
Executive Director

P.S. Please support our work as you are able. Every donation helps us keep up the fight for transgender equality. Please donate today: www.nctequality.org/donate.html

The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people. The National Center for Transgender Equality is a 501(c)3 organization. For more information, please visit www.nctequality.org.

We need your support to continue this work. Click here to join our mailing list or to donate now. Thank you!

Success in Indiana!
Indiana BMV Stops Practice of Using Gender to Invalidate Driver Licenses

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has agreed to immediately discontinue using gender mismatches solely as a reason for invalidating driver licenses. Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance (INTRAA) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) successfully worked with officials at the Indiana BMV to bring about this policy change.

On November 6^th, the Indiana BMV began issuing warning letters to people in the BMV database whose information did not match Social Security Administration's (SSA) records. Information compared between the two databases included name, Social Security number, date of birth, and gender. Letters instructed recipients to resolve discrepancies within 30 days or risk losing their driving privileges.

INTRAA and NCTE brought to the Indiana BMV's attention that Social Security uses a different standard for changing gender markers than what the BMV uses. Because of these differing standards, some transgender people legitimately have an Indiana driver license or identification card with one gender marker and SSA records with a different gender marker. Through the work of INTRAA and NCTE, Indiana BMV Commissioner Ron Stiver realized the difficulties surrounding gender marker verification and issued an immediate policy change. The newest policy is that gender mismatches will be ignored by the BMV.

Cross-dressing teens get own school bathroom

Thai officials launch 'transvestite toilet' in bid to cope with growing need

BANGKOK, Thailand - A secondary school in rural Thailand has designed a new bathroom that it calls a "transvestite toilet" for its growing community of cross-dressers.

The Kampang School in northeastern Thailand conducted a survey last term that showed more than 200 of the school's 2,600 students considered themselves transvestites, said school director Sitisak Sumontha.

So, when classes resumed in May, the school unveiled a unisex restroom designated by a human figure split into two, half man in blue, and half female in red. Below the figure, it says, "Transvestite Toilet." (more)


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