Amid the state of emergency that transgender and nonbinary people in Massachusetts and across the United States are experiencing—including increasing reports of violence, discrimination, and fear—Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) yesterday hosted an LGBTQ+ Community Convening to hear from individuals and organizations about the need to better support the transgender and nonbinary community.
Participants discussed how the federal government can advance the health, safety, and well-being of the community, including fighting back against harmful Republican rhetoric and misinformation about transgender people, ensuring that all members of the community are included in policymaking, improving access to health care, housing, and other basic necessities, and celebrating transgender and nonbinary people.
The participants included Sandra McDonald, Steering Committee Member at Human Rights Campaign New England; Dallas Ducar, Chief Executive Officer of Transhealth; Kelsey Grunstra, Executive Director at Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition; Tanya Neslusan, Executive Director at MassEquality; Shaplaie Brooks, Executive Director at Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ+ Youth; and Dani Chase, LGBTQ+ Activist, Author, and Speaker.
Call to action
As part of the conversation, Senator Markey announced his new call on the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to remove restrictions on, and provide health care coverage for, gender-affirming surgery for transgender veterans. Despite the VA already offering other types of gender-affirming care, including pre- and post-operative care for gender-affirming surgery, the VA does not cover surgery itself.
In their letter to the VA, the lawmakers highlighted that gender-affirming surgery is associated with reduced gender dysphoria, improved quality of life, and decreased anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation, which remain especially critical given the higher rates of suicide among veterans in comparison to civilians. Transgender veterans are 20 times more likely to die by suicide than their cisgender veteran peers. Cosigners of the letter include Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
“We can make every day Transgender Day of Visibility when we commit to justice and equality for the transgender and nonbinary community,” said Senator Markey. “We need a whole of government commitment to transgender and nonbinary individuals. That is why I am calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to take immediate actions to cover gender-affirming surgery for transgender veterans.”
“Thanks to the efforts of the local leaders who we heard from today,” Markey said, “Massachusetts has long led the nation in the fight for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community. Despite the brutal threats and attacks, we cannot stop advocating for greater access to gender-affirming care. We know that transgender health is health, and health care is a human right, and we will always fight on the frontlines for equality.”
— from a press release from the Office of Senator Edward J. Markey
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