More on medicalization

Just a quick linky on the history of homosexuality and psychiatry - I thought I remembered it being in the DSM after the 1970's, and that's because they redefined it, but kept it until the DSM IIIR.
http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_mental_health.html

The rest of this is about transfolks and medicalization, so move on if it's not your thing.

 I don't know if you are aware of the rate of suicide attempts in the trans community, but recent figures are at 41%.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40279043/ns/health-health_care/t/transgender-americans-face-high-suicide-risk/#.T9fxZdX8uSo


As for run-of-the-mill insurance, I pulled these from the Pearce and Pearce insurance policy I purchased through our school:



PLAN EXCLUSIONS
The Company will not pay benefits for Loss or Expense incurred:

....
15. As a result of suicide or any attempt at suicide, including drug overdose or intentionally self-inflicted Injury or any attempt at intentionally self-inflicted Injury. This exclusion does not apply to the Medical Evacuation or Repatriation of Remains Benefit.
.....

17. For surgery and/or treatment of: acne; acupuncture; gynecomastia; allergy testing; biofeedback-type services; circumcision;corns, calluses and bunions, except capsular or bone surgery; deviated nasal septum, including submucuous resection and/orother surgical correction thereof; hair growth or removal, hair transplants; impotence, organic or otherwise; nonmalignantwarts, moles and lesions; premarital examinations; sexual reassignment surgery; sleep disorders, including supplies, treatment and testing thereof; tubal ligation; vasectomy; alopecia; and weight reduction.


.....

27. For breast reconstruction and implantation or removal of breast prostheses unless such care and services are performed solely and directly as a result of a Medically Necessary mastectomy.
.......
29. For hormone treatment or hormone therapy not related to the treatment of Sickness.

The irony, of course, is that by defining the condition medically (thanks Harry Benjamin), we can now deny coverage for gender confirmation/sexual reassignment by name.  Cool stuff.

HRC has a list (small, but growing)  of companies who DO provide insurance that covers sexual reassignment/gender confirmation HRT and/or surgeries.

Kennesaw State was willing for about 4 months to do lab work for transgendered students, but they've discontinued all labs from doctors outside Kennesaw, and the doctor on staff won't write the orders.

Many transpeople can't afford hormones consistently and will never be able to afford surgeries or can't have them for other medical reasons.   A friend of mine with 2 disabled kids who can't work outside the home hasn't had Testosterone in years.  Another friend who is near-destitute won't go out in public during the day because she doesn't want people to see her stubble and her Adam's apple - she used to be a mechanic, but her female presentation wouldn't fly in that field.   She's been working as a janitor so she can be out at night.

So that brings me to this: The bright side of medicalization is that in some countries with socialized medicine, it's covered.  They have to jump through a million hoops, too, but they can actually get hormones and surgeries at any income level.

This is life or death for a lot of people.  In fact, I think I described it that way when I came out to my friends on Facebook: it's not whether to do it; it's do it or die trying.

I'm going to go ahead and revamp an old blog that's under the same gmail account to put the sidetracked thoughts that came out of my head during and after class.  It should be viewable, but it's probably not interesting.  It's what I thought of at the wrong times and on the long drive home.  This one was less sidetracked and more on task, sort of.   Maybe.