So it was interesting to see the results of last month’s poll. Apparently most of us are going to pay off debt (6 votes) and/or get more spiritual (6 votes). This was followed by losing weight (5 votes) and finishing transition (5 votes). When I look at these, it strikes me that this year is a year of change. As Arwen has mentioned to me previous, great change can mean great growth. We’re in a time of great change with a weak economy. But the human spirit tends to still move forward and find new paths. I suspect that the items voted for — debt reduction, spirituality, weight loss and finishing transition — all intertwine into the concept of self-reflection and improvement. It was interesting that “new job” was only 4 votes; although a new job could result in the other items moving forward.
On the other end of things, only one person had no idea what to resolve and another didn’t believe in resolutions. I did expect a bit more of each of these but it will be interesting to see what happens this year. Perhaps everyone wants to grasp on to some hope in an age that feels scary and shaky. This month will actually have two polls and they are kind of tied together. For many trans individuals, as well as members of the LGBTQII, this year feels like a year of growth, hope and moving forward. One of the biggest issues is health care. Many have no coverage at all and even those that do still run a risk of ending up bankrupt from health costs that aren’t covered. One of the weaker areas is SRS coverage. The AMA declared medical benefit coverage a necessity but few, if any, benefits programs are stepping up to the plate to cover these things — even on a partial level.
So that leads to our two questions:
1. Should their be universal basic health care? (by this I mean coverage of basic visits to doctors, clinics, emergency care, etc. — elective or cosmetic surgery not related to a medical issue not covered).
2. Should SRS be covered (whether partially or fully)?
1. You mean there isn’t? Oh, sorry, I live in British Columbia. 🙂
2. A province in which, praise the Goddess, SRS is covered (genital surgery for MTFs; mastectomy, oophorectomy, hysterectomy, and vagina closing for FTMs), as long as you jump through the right hoops, most of which have to do with following the WPATH Standards of Care anyway.
In the United States, I think there ought to be at least basic universal health care coverage. Not only is universal health care humane and civilized; I think it could be demonstrated that providing health care to all would cost less in the long run than dealing with the consequences of not providing it to large segments of the population.
And I do think that universal health care ought to cover SRS for those who follow the protocol and demonstrate a need.
Véronique’s last blog post..All’s fair with hair?
Ya. It was the US I was thinking of. I certainly got rather comfortable with health care coverage in Ontario and sometimes miss it, especially since Ontario brought back SRS coverage. So I figured it may be time to get input from US citizens as to what they think.
@Linus
OK. I’m still a US citizen. And I vote! 🙂
Véronique’s last blog post..Know your limit, play within it