Let's get the fact right. Ok? For one gender identity is not a mental disease or disorder. It only is an issue, and sometimes a problem, with the individual when there is a conflict with the rest of their world and environment and those issues or problems causes stress, anxiety, etc.
This is what the APA finally got right with the DSM-V which establishes it as a condition which is only a mental or medical issue from outside influences or stress, namely family, friends, work, etc. Otherwise, an individual recognizing the difference between the physical sex and their gender is just that and the medical protocols and proceedures to transition are clearly defined by WPATH.
The reason it's still called and some identify with Gender Identity Disorder is because it's defined and described that way in the last edition of the DSM-IV. That changed in May of this year with the DSM-V which removed it as disorder in and of itself, and only from other forces.
This is proven by the tens of thousands of post-transition, legally recognized male or female people in the US who are living normal lives with the physical body and gender in congruence without any stress or anxiety and the hundred of thousands of in-transition people along with the gender different and variant folks.
Gee, happy, normal people people. What a concept. What people confuse with gender identity is the time between when the individual realize it's a possibility to the time they begin their transition and then live in the gender they know they are.
During that time, the therapist's role is to clarify their patient's thoughts, feelings and emotions about themselves and help them determine where they are on the gender scale and help them find a way to live in the gender(s) they're happiest with themselves and their life.
The only decision a therapist makes is to agree with the self-diagnosis and self-recognition of the person's gender identity to approve the use of hormones to help their transtion. Hormones are not a requirement of a transition, as some people have physical and mental health issues with them, but it helps change the body and mind.
After that, it's just the time the individual needs or takes to transition especially if they want diferent significant surgeries to change their body from male to female or female to male. While there are standards for approval for it, the standards also vary with the individual and the medical professionals assisting their transition.
The point I wanted to make was to dispel the confusion about gender identity. It's not the issue or the problem, it's everybody else and their problems with a person with gender identity. They are the ones in need of therapy more than the individual with gender identity, mostly to get their understanding and attitude changed.
That's the fact, so stop blaming or castigating gender different or variant people. They're normal, just another human being like all of us.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Really
Reading the news it strikes me the transcommunity, especially the most vocal and public transwomen, will bust their humps to get prison inmates, especially now that Manning has announced to transition in prison in Leavenworth, to get them proper medical care, mostly therapy but especially hormones, free but they won't lift a finger to write a word to help all the transwomen with and especially without health insurnance to cover their transition care and costs, even when they can and want to pay for it through premiums, co-pay and non-essential costs out of pocket.
Is there a more WTF moment with the transcommunity than this? Is it really more about the vocal and public transwomen getting attention than actually get real stuff done for the vast majority of transitioning women?
And no, I don't forget or exclude the work of some of the excellent organizations working on the real issues for transwomen, like medical care, health insurance, job protections, human rights, etc. But the real work is always done by the individual on their own at their own expense, and it's only when they're almost if not completely done do others take credit for "helping" raise the issue.
Yeah, right. I won't argue the transcommunity needs the organizations working and getting results for transwomen, but I'll always argue it doesn't need the voices of the attention-getting transwomen who think they're helping but aren't outside of the publicity.
Don't believe it? Think about all the people who fought to get the California law passed and signed to protect transgender children? Can you name any of them? Did they seek publicitiy or did they focus on the issue and got results?
But how many are speaking out for Manning and the transwomen in state, federal prison? And how much human and financial resources are being spent to protect their rights and help them get free medical care while the rest of the transcommunity has to pay for and often a lot?
And how quickly they want you to forget they're in prison for a reason, they committed crimes, some including the brutal murder of their spouse. Let's not forget Manning stole and gave Wikileaks hundreds of thousands of classified documents. That's why Manning is in Leavenworth, not to get free transition care.
Any wonder people pause to think many in and out the transcommunity have their priorities wrong? And wonder why the LGB community doesn't stand up for transgender people? You only have to look at the voices being raised over and for Manning.
Is there a more WTF moment with the transcommunity than this? Is it really more about the vocal and public transwomen getting attention than actually get real stuff done for the vast majority of transitioning women?
And no, I don't forget or exclude the work of some of the excellent organizations working on the real issues for transwomen, like medical care, health insurance, job protections, human rights, etc. But the real work is always done by the individual on their own at their own expense, and it's only when they're almost if not completely done do others take credit for "helping" raise the issue.
Yeah, right. I won't argue the transcommunity needs the organizations working and getting results for transwomen, but I'll always argue it doesn't need the voices of the attention-getting transwomen who think they're helping but aren't outside of the publicity.
Don't believe it? Think about all the people who fought to get the California law passed and signed to protect transgender children? Can you name any of them? Did they seek publicitiy or did they focus on the issue and got results?
But how many are speaking out for Manning and the transwomen in state, federal prison? And how much human and financial resources are being spent to protect their rights and help them get free medical care while the rest of the transcommunity has to pay for and often a lot?
And how quickly they want you to forget they're in prison for a reason, they committed crimes, some including the brutal murder of their spouse. Let's not forget Manning stole and gave Wikileaks hundreds of thousands of classified documents. That's why Manning is in Leavenworth, not to get free transition care.
Any wonder people pause to think many in and out the transcommunity have their priorities wrong? And wonder why the LGB community doesn't stand up for transgender people? You only have to look at the voices being raised over and for Manning.
Someone Explain
Someone please explain why inmates in civilian prisons, military prisions soon to follow, can get medical care for Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and get transition care with therapy, hormones and maybe even surugery (lawsuits pending) paid by the state or federal taxpayers while transgender people with health insurance can't get the same care and have to pay out of their own pocket?
It's a WTF moment for the vast majority of transpeople who want adequate medical care for their transition and face discrimination from the medical community and the health insurance companies, and pay for some, especially surgeries, and have to pay for their care through their premiums and co-pay.
Many health insurance companies still discriminate by explicitly prohiting costs for "sex transformation" care, from simple physician visits and exams through therapy and drugs to surgeries. It's only really covered by companies, organizations and state and local government through self-coverage for employees.
The federal government health insurance programs for active and retired employees and for Medicare beneficiaries still does not cover GID through their government-private health insurance plans, even 3 years after the President order the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to add it for active and retired employees plans.
So why do inmates get rights for the healthcare even when some will never be paroled and will die in prison? Someone explain the logic on human rights for that, sacrifice the many who haven't committed any crimes, have health insurance and will pay for their care while the few in prison who aren't paying for it - they're paying for their crimes, not healthcare - will get it free.
Bradley/Chelsea will get therapy and hormones (the latter eventually) for GID in military prison at our expense and be ready to finish her transition when she is paroled as soon as 7 years. Two lawsuits, one in Massachusetts and Indiana, will provide inmates with sex reassignment surgery for two women who will never be paroled.
And yet the vast majority of transwomen who have done nothing wrong will pay $20-50,000 for their transition through premiums, co-pay and out-of-pocket expenses for everything associated with their transition, because the law allows health insurance companies and employers to discriminate against them.
It defies logic, fairness and justice.
It's a WTF moment for the vast majority of transpeople who want adequate medical care for their transition and face discrimination from the medical community and the health insurance companies, and pay for some, especially surgeries, and have to pay for their care through their premiums and co-pay.
Many health insurance companies still discriminate by explicitly prohiting costs for "sex transformation" care, from simple physician visits and exams through therapy and drugs to surgeries. It's only really covered by companies, organizations and state and local government through self-coverage for employees.
The federal government health insurance programs for active and retired employees and for Medicare beneficiaries still does not cover GID through their government-private health insurance plans, even 3 years after the President order the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to add it for active and retired employees plans.
So why do inmates get rights for the healthcare even when some will never be paroled and will die in prison? Someone explain the logic on human rights for that, sacrifice the many who haven't committed any crimes, have health insurance and will pay for their care while the few in prison who aren't paying for it - they're paying for their crimes, not healthcare - will get it free.
Bradley/Chelsea will get therapy and hormones (the latter eventually) for GID in military prison at our expense and be ready to finish her transition when she is paroled as soon as 7 years. Two lawsuits, one in Massachusetts and Indiana, will provide inmates with sex reassignment surgery for two women who will never be paroled.
And yet the vast majority of transwomen who have done nothing wrong will pay $20-50,000 for their transition through premiums, co-pay and out-of-pocket expenses for everything associated with their transition, because the law allows health insurance companies and employers to discriminate against them.
It defies logic, fairness and justice.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Let's Understand
I've been reading the range of opinions about Bradley/Chelsea Manning (pick your preference) and while some argue, and somewhat rightfully, that the government, from whom Manning stole and gave hundreds of thousands of document to Wikileaks and other organizations, should cover some transition costs.
Granted the military psychiatrists diagnosed Manning with Gender Identity Disorder (GID), but they did nothing and neither did Manning. He had the whole range of choices then, including to resign with an honorable discharge and transition under the VA coverage (yes, they get coverage now, except surgeries), but he choose to stay and steal government documents.
Whether the documents were worseless or imporant is irrelevant to the point he waited until he was sentenced and going to the military prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, to announce he's female and wants the government to accommodate her and her transition.
Let's understand Manning is only on square one of a transition and the question is what's reasonable while Manning is in prison. The government can and should provide psychiatric care and maybe hormone replacement therapy, but should they allow Manning to live in a male ward, female ward or a separate one for the period of his/her incaration?
That's the question in front of the government but let's not forget what Manning did and push the GID issue to the forefront overlooking the criminal acts and the conviction. Granted the sentence is stiff but Manning will be eligible for parole in 7 years where he/she can then finish her transition.
I personally have no doubt Manning will be paroled sooner than later and quietly sometime after the 7 years has passed, all because the government has said the documents weren't that important to national security and they don't want the publicity surrounding Manning and his case.
Then Manning can get on with whatever life he/she wants. And that's what, in my view, should happen. If the military wants to allow his/her transition in prison, fine, but under the rules and not pressured by the transcommunity out of their narrowmindedness.
Let's keep the focus on the criminal acts and not the criminal.
Granted the military psychiatrists diagnosed Manning with Gender Identity Disorder (GID), but they did nothing and neither did Manning. He had the whole range of choices then, including to resign with an honorable discharge and transition under the VA coverage (yes, they get coverage now, except surgeries), but he choose to stay and steal government documents.
Whether the documents were worseless or imporant is irrelevant to the point he waited until he was sentenced and going to the military prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, to announce he's female and wants the government to accommodate her and her transition.
Let's understand Manning is only on square one of a transition and the question is what's reasonable while Manning is in prison. The government can and should provide psychiatric care and maybe hormone replacement therapy, but should they allow Manning to live in a male ward, female ward or a separate one for the period of his/her incaration?
That's the question in front of the government but let's not forget what Manning did and push the GID issue to the forefront overlooking the criminal acts and the conviction. Granted the sentence is stiff but Manning will be eligible for parole in 7 years where he/she can then finish her transition.
I personally have no doubt Manning will be paroled sooner than later and quietly sometime after the 7 years has passed, all because the government has said the documents weren't that important to national security and they don't want the publicity surrounding Manning and his case.
Then Manning can get on with whatever life he/she wants. And that's what, in my view, should happen. If the military wants to allow his/her transition in prison, fine, but under the rules and not pressured by the transcommunity out of their narrowmindedness.
Let's keep the focus on the criminal acts and not the criminal.
Military Study
We learned this week the US Department of Defense (military) study to transgender personnel in the military isn't funded by the military, not even by the US government, but a $1.35 Million grant from a Taiwan foundation owned by an American billionaire, who also announced he/she will be transitioning from male to female.
It only goes to show the military, transgender people can serve, and the question is how, which is easy, just like everyone else, but if they have transitioned before they enlist or transition during their service, and then make the military decide what is paid by whom and how you accommodate them during their transition.
Good luck on that. History has shown it works and works well.
It only goes to show the military, transgender people can serve, and the question is how, which is easy, just like everyone else, but if they have transitioned before they enlist or transition during their service, and then make the military decide what is paid by whom and how you accommodate them during their transition.
Good luck on that. History has shown it works and works well.
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