Staff opinion:
Health insurance coverage should not include sex reassignment for transgendered individuals
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ournalists scrambled as they attempted to cover the breaking news, more specifically which pronoun to use in their articles after Army Private Bradley Manning was convicted of violating the Espionage Act for turning over classified government documents to Wikileaks. After being sentenced to 35 years in prison, Manning announced his desire to become a woman and to serve out his prison sentence as “Chelsea.” Manning expressed a desire for the government to pay for the surgerical procedure that would change his gender, arguing it was medically necessary for his mental health. According to research done at the University of California in Los Angeles, Manning is one of nearly 700,000 Americans who identify as being transgendered. These individuals experience a disconnect between their psychological gender and their
biological sex. Millions of Americans look in the mirror daily and cringe at their crooked noses or tug uncomfortably at tight shirts that accent an unwanted 20 pounds. Some of them consider weight loss surgery, some consider nose jobs. Others consider sex reassignment surgery, altering their anatomical makeup in order to embrace a sense of their self-identity. Controversy around Manning’s announcement has spurred debate as to whether or not health insurance should cover the expenses that a gender reassignment operation would entail. While this issue weighs heavily on an individual’s mental disposition, other physical insecurities have the same effect. Facial birthmarks or obesity may be just as much reason for someone to adopt a poor body image. The topic is clearly subjective.
For example, surgeons can straighten a crooked nose, but that individual can avoid such a drastic and costly remedy by developing a new perspective. A male who feels trapped in the body of a female, can express his gender through inexpensive cosmetic alterations and changes to his state of mind. Hair and clothing can be modified and a more androgynous name can be used. Someone shouldn’t decide to change their biological sex over night. Saving for the surgery would give the individual time to consider the pros and cons of the decision, avoiding a severe and almost irreversible modification that could cost thousands of dollars. Everyone struggles with body image, but health care should be dedicated to unavoidable expenses, rather than operations that can be viewed as unnecessary.
opinion | 05