San Francisco to Pay
for Sex Changes
On Monday May 1, 2001, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to
pay for sex changes for city employees. Â
Approved by a 9-2 vote, the bill would pay up to $50,000 in benefits to
city workers who want to switch their biological gender. Â The bill is currently awaiting the signature
of San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
The passing of this bill would make San Francisco the only government
employer in the United States at the moment to extend such benefits as a part of
its health coverage plan. Â The State of
Minnesota offered a similar benefits program, but the program was eradicated in
1998. Â The issue of covering sex changes
was also brought up in the state of Oregon, but was also dropped from the
discussion table by the commission.
Described as a moral decision, rather than a political one, the new benefit is slated to begin on July 1, and will cover male-to-female surgery. Â Such a procedure costs about $37,000. Â The measure will also cover female-to-male surgery, which has a price tag of approximately $77,000. Â Also included are hormone treatments and psychotherapy procedures. Â Employees, however, will need to have worked for the city for at least one year before they are eligible for the benefit. Â In addition, the individual will be required to undergo a medical diagnosis for a condition known as gender dysphoria, in which the individual feels discomfort with his or her birth gender.
Many transsexual city employees view the passing of this bill as a
long-awaited victory, stating that it brings them one step closer towards
equality and societal acceptance. Â
However, those who oppose the bill argue that the bill only targets a
very small group of people, and ignores the needs of other groups who would
also like special treatment in their health coverage. Â One member of the Board of Supervisors argued that there is no
specialized treatment in the benefits package for eating disorders, learning
disabilities, prosthetic limbs, or heart reconstructive surgery.
As more and more employers move towards extending health care benefits
to cover a wider range of programs, such as acupuncture treatment and
infertility treatment, including the sex change plan has been deemed one of the
most controversial. Â However, the
passing of this bill may spark initiatives in other parts of the United States,
and may even spread to the private sector. Â
On the one hand, it can be seen as an "enlightened" move towards
equality and fairness, regardless of an individual´s sexuality or sex. On the
other hand, targeting such a specific group of individuals can also be seen as
discriminatory, since many other groups who feel that they deserve coverage in
their employers´ healthcare plan are being rejected.