I Don't Agree

I've been reading about the transgender veterans who are arguing for care for their transistion under the Veterans Administration. This is promoted by the Transgender Americans Veterans Association with their most vocal spokesperson Autumn Sandeem. I'd say spokesman since her legal documents, which she acknowledges, says she male.

I don't agree any care or treatments should be available to transgender veterans for their transisiton. It's not a condition that's releated to their service, not related to any injury they incurred or disease they acquired during their service, and it's not life threatening requiring medical interventon. It's not warranted.

Now, I won't say that being transgender people don't deserve care or treatment. I'm an advocate for it to be covered by the health insurance companies as it's an identified mental and physical condition treatable under the WPATH Standards of Care. All non-costmetic care should be covered, including physician's care, drugs, therapy, and sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

It's the right thing to do. While the APA's have "recommended" it be covered, since they identify it as a mental condition worthy of intervention and with a course of treatment, they haven't pushed for it as mandatory. This is because it's a moral issue to them, but the studies of the employer-funded treatment, including SRS, have shown it's cheap.

But it's not something which should be covered by the VA under veterans care. It's a waste of funds better suited to injured veterans. I can say this because I served and haven't used any VA care. I have health insurance which covers most of what I want in life for health or emergency care. And should I be transgendered, it's not covered under my health insurance, so I would expect to pay for it out of my own pocket.

And this is only fair for transgendered veterans. They should find an employer or health insurance which covers it with other health and emergency care, or as they say, get out your checkbook as the vast majority of those who are transistioning or have transistioned. I just don't agree it's a necessity of the VA to provide it at taxpayer expense.

I would support the TAVA's effort to expand DADT to transgendered veterans to serve openly, but I wouldn't necessarily support the military fund the care and treatment for their transistion. The military should allow their transistion, just not pay for it. I've expressed this view and I have had my issue with when Ms. Sandeem spoke out and even went so far to be one of those who chained themselves to the White House fence.

I thought her complaint about her treatment during her arrest was unwarranted as she presented her documents to show she was legally male (at least the news stories I read stated). As I've said before I don't consider presenting yourself as female in public mean your transgender and in transistion. If she was serious, why hasn't she had some of her documents changed? I would as all those in transistion do, when they make the decision to be full-time and public.

But that's outside the point here. While I agree with the transcommunity on most issues, I can't agree on this one, nor with those who express the right to it. I will continue to say it's a good way to provide ammunition against transpeople by asserting the expenditure of taxpayers', and especially VA, money for care better paid by private insurance.