Just out., June 17, 2011, Page 12, Image 12

HUI
JUNE 17,2011
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Standing for
Trans Rights
Portland City Council approves health care coverage
for transgender city employees
BY ERIN ROOK
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Portland became the third municipality in that trans folks ought to seek spiritual
the country to eliminate all transgender-relat- solutions.
ed health coverage exclusions June 8 when the
Though neither o f those opposed ad­
Portland City Council voted unanimously to dressed the issue of medical necessity, it is a
approve Mayor Sam Adams’ proposal to in­ question many have posed on the mayor’s
clude medically necessary surgeries to the Facebook page, in comments on news sites
health plan for city workers.
and in private conversations even within the
The mayor said in his “To the trans community
LGBTQcommunity.
opening comments that
Jeana Frazzini, execu­
of
Portland,
who
each
and
extending full coverage to
tive director of Basic
transgender city employees every day makes this city a
Rights Oregon, tackled
is both good business and better place, it is my honor
the topic head-on in her
the right thing to do. Ad­
opening remarks.
and
privilege
to
serve
on
a
ams pointed out that, in
“The American Medical
addition to Multnomah city council that can bring an Association has identified
County and San Francisco, ounce of fairness in return.”
transgender health care as
a number of major corpo­
being medically necessary,”
-MAYOR SAM ADAMS
rations such as Nike, Kraft
Frazzini said. “Yet many
and Coca-Cola already provide such benefits, transgender Oregonians are routinely denied
but said that, above all, extending coverage is the ability to purchase health insurance or are
an issue of basic fairness.
denied coverage for basic, medically necessary
“To the trans community of Portland, who care solely because they are transgender.”
each and every day makes this city a better
The World Professional Association for
place, it is my honor and privilege to serve on Transgender Health, whose standards o f care
a city council that can bring an ounce o f fair­ are internationally accepted, has released a
ness in return,” Adams said.
statement on the “Medical Necessity of
About 130 trans folks and allies showed up Treatment, Sex Reassignment and Insurance
to the meeting wearing blue and stickers pro­ Coverage in the United States” that makes
vided by Basic Rights Oregon. As Commis­ clear that sex reassignment surgery is neither
sioner Amanda Fritz pointed out, both levels cosmetic nor elective and ought to be con­
of the chambers were standing room only.
sidered as any other medically necessary
O f the 16 people who gave testimony, only treatment would be.
two were opposed to the mayor’s proposal.
“Sex reassignment, properly indicated and
One argued that the city already provided performed as provided by the Standards of
“Cadillac” health care coverage, and that the Care, has proven to be beneficial and effec­
crowd ought to he offering thanks rather tive in the treatment o f individuals with
than asking for more. The other claimed that transsexualism, gender identity disorder and/
God doesn’t support gender transition and or gender dysphoria. Sex reassignment plays
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