[News/Health] [USA] Transgender Education Network of Texas Congratulates APA in supporting equality in health access
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Stephanie Stevens
Aug 19, 2012, 8:49:02 AM8/19/12
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Transgender Education Network of Texas, TX, USA
Press Release
Transgender Education Network of Texas Congratulates APA in supporting
equality in health access
August 16, 2012 - Transgender Education Network of Texas congratulates
the American Psychiatric Association for issuing statements today
legitimizing equality in care for gender diverse individuals. "This is
but a first step towards on but a long journey of recognizing the
dignity and wholeness of individuals whose gender does not meet
expected societal norms", said Katy Stewart, Chair of the Board of
Directors of Transgender Education Network of Texas.
"The APA decision not only affirms the work we do in educating the
public about the great diversity in gender, it provides bedrock for
the much needed work of engaging mental health professionals in a way
that is culturally sensitive"
Transgender Education Network of Texas applauds this decision and
encourages our membership to share this good news with others. The APA
press release for this momentous decision can be found HERE
<http://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Advocacy%20and%20Newsroom/Press%20Releases/2012%20Releases/12-36-APA-Position-Statements-on-Transgender.pdf>
, and is reprinted below for ease of access
#####
APA Issues Official Positions Supporting Access to Care and the Rights
of Transgender and Gender Variant Persons
ARLINGTON, Va. (August 16, 2012) - The American Psychiatric
Association advocates for removal of barriers to care for gender
transition treatment and for the protection of civil rights for
transgender and gender variant individuals. APA has long expressed
strong affirmation of lesbian and gay civil rights since the 1973
decision to remove homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders. Now APA is issuing position statements in
support of access to care and civil rights for transgender
individuals.
Gender variant and transgender individuals must cope with multiple
unique challenges, including significant discrimination, prejudice,
and the potential for victimization from violent hate crimes. They
often experience discrimination when accessing health care and are
denied numerous basic civil rights and protections.
Long-standing medical and psychiatric literature demonstrates clear
benefits of medical and surgical interventions to assist gender
variant individuals seeking transition. However, transgender and
gender variant people are frequently denied medical, surgical, and
psychiatric care related to gender transition. Access to medical care
(both medical and surgical) positively impacts the mental health of
transgender and gender variant individuals.
Being transgender or gender variant implies no impairment in judgment,
stability, reliability, or general social or vocational capabilities;
however, these individuals often experience discrimination due to a
lack of civil rights protections for their gender identity or
expression. Transgender and gender variant persons are frequently
harassed and discriminated against when seeking housing or applying to
jobs or schools, are often victims of violent hate crimes, and face
challenges in marriage, adoption and parenting rights,
Discrimination and lack of equal civil rights is damaging to the
mental health of transgender and gender variant individuals. For
example, gender-based discrimination and victimization were found to
be independently associated with attempted suicide in a population of
transgender individuals, 32% of whom had histories of trying to kill
themselves, and in the largest survey to date of gender variant and
transgender people 41% reported attempting suicide.*
The APA joins other organizations, including the American Medical
Association and the American Psychological Association, in endorsing
strong policy statements deploring the discrimination experienced by
gender variant and transgender individuals and calling for laws to
protect their civil rights.
APA Position Statements
<http://www.psychiatry.org/advocacy--newsroom/position-statements/apa-position-statements>
Access to Care for Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
The American Psychiatric Association:
1. Recognizes that appropriately evaluated transgender and gender
variant individuals can benefit greatly from medical and surgical
gender transition treatments.
2. Advocates for removal of barriers to care and supports both
public and private health insurance coverage for gender transition
treatment.
3. Opposes categorical exclusions of coverage for such medically
necessary treatment when prescribed by a physician.
Discrimination against Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
The American Psychiatric Association:
1. Supports laws that protect the civil rights of transgender and
gender variant individuals.
2. Urges the repeal of laws and policies that discriminate against
transgender and gender variant people.
3. Opposes all public and private discrimination against
transgender and gender variant individuals in such areas as health
care, employment, housing, public accommodation, education, and
licensing.
4. Declares that no burden of proof of such judgment, capacity, or
reliability shall be placed upon these individuals greater than that
imposed on any other persons.
See the full position statements and background information
Access to Care for Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
<http://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Advocacy%20and%20Newsroom/Position%20Statements/ps2012_TransgenderCare.pdf>
Discrimination against Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
<http://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Advocacy%20and%20Newsroom/Position%20Statements/ps2012_TransgenderDiscrimination.pdf>
See also a recent report from the American Psychiatric Association
Task Force on Treatment of Gender Identity Disorder
<http://www.springerlink.com/content/65145105t4000220/?MUD=MP> .
Transgender Education Network of Texas
PO Box 2602
Austin, TX 78768
877.532.6789
in...@transtexas.org
http://conta.cc/QOt2dP
Press Release
Transgender Education Network of Texas Congratulates APA in supporting
equality in health access
August 16, 2012 - Transgender Education Network of Texas congratulates
the American Psychiatric Association for issuing statements today
legitimizing equality in care for gender diverse individuals. "This is
but a first step towards on but a long journey of recognizing the
dignity and wholeness of individuals whose gender does not meet
expected societal norms", said Katy Stewart, Chair of the Board of
Directors of Transgender Education Network of Texas.
"The APA decision not only affirms the work we do in educating the
public about the great diversity in gender, it provides bedrock for
the much needed work of engaging mental health professionals in a way
that is culturally sensitive"
Transgender Education Network of Texas applauds this decision and
encourages our membership to share this good news with others. The APA
press release for this momentous decision can be found HERE
<http://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Advocacy%20and%20Newsroom/Press%20Releases/2012%20Releases/12-36-APA-Position-Statements-on-Transgender.pdf>
, and is reprinted below for ease of access
#####
APA Issues Official Positions Supporting Access to Care and the Rights
of Transgender and Gender Variant Persons
ARLINGTON, Va. (August 16, 2012) - The American Psychiatric
Association advocates for removal of barriers to care for gender
transition treatment and for the protection of civil rights for
transgender and gender variant individuals. APA has long expressed
strong affirmation of lesbian and gay civil rights since the 1973
decision to remove homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders. Now APA is issuing position statements in
support of access to care and civil rights for transgender
individuals.
Gender variant and transgender individuals must cope with multiple
unique challenges, including significant discrimination, prejudice,
and the potential for victimization from violent hate crimes. They
often experience discrimination when accessing health care and are
denied numerous basic civil rights and protections.
Long-standing medical and psychiatric literature demonstrates clear
benefits of medical and surgical interventions to assist gender
variant individuals seeking transition. However, transgender and
gender variant people are frequently denied medical, surgical, and
psychiatric care related to gender transition. Access to medical care
(both medical and surgical) positively impacts the mental health of
transgender and gender variant individuals.
Being transgender or gender variant implies no impairment in judgment,
stability, reliability, or general social or vocational capabilities;
however, these individuals often experience discrimination due to a
lack of civil rights protections for their gender identity or
expression. Transgender and gender variant persons are frequently
harassed and discriminated against when seeking housing or applying to
jobs or schools, are often victims of violent hate crimes, and face
challenges in marriage, adoption and parenting rights,
Discrimination and lack of equal civil rights is damaging to the
mental health of transgender and gender variant individuals. For
example, gender-based discrimination and victimization were found to
be independently associated with attempted suicide in a population of
transgender individuals, 32% of whom had histories of trying to kill
themselves, and in the largest survey to date of gender variant and
transgender people 41% reported attempting suicide.*
The APA joins other organizations, including the American Medical
Association and the American Psychological Association, in endorsing
strong policy statements deploring the discrimination experienced by
gender variant and transgender individuals and calling for laws to
protect their civil rights.
APA Position Statements
<http://www.psychiatry.org/advocacy--newsroom/position-statements/apa-position-statements>
Access to Care for Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
The American Psychiatric Association:
1. Recognizes that appropriately evaluated transgender and gender
variant individuals can benefit greatly from medical and surgical
gender transition treatments.
2. Advocates for removal of barriers to care and supports both
public and private health insurance coverage for gender transition
treatment.
3. Opposes categorical exclusions of coverage for such medically
necessary treatment when prescribed by a physician.
Discrimination against Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
The American Psychiatric Association:
1. Supports laws that protect the civil rights of transgender and
gender variant individuals.
2. Urges the repeal of laws and policies that discriminate against
transgender and gender variant people.
3. Opposes all public and private discrimination against
transgender and gender variant individuals in such areas as health
care, employment, housing, public accommodation, education, and
licensing.
4. Declares that no burden of proof of such judgment, capacity, or
reliability shall be placed upon these individuals greater than that
imposed on any other persons.
See the full position statements and background information
Access to Care for Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
<http://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Advocacy%20and%20Newsroom/Position%20Statements/ps2012_TransgenderCare.pdf>
Discrimination against Transgender and Gender Variant Individuals
<http://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Advocacy%20and%20Newsroom/Position%20Statements/ps2012_TransgenderDiscrimination.pdf>
See also a recent report from the American Psychiatric Association
Task Force on Treatment of Gender Identity Disorder
<http://www.springerlink.com/content/65145105t4000220/?MUD=MP> .
Transgender Education Network of Texas
PO Box 2602
Austin, TX 78768
877.532.6789
in...@transtexas.org
http://conta.cc/QOt2dP
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