4.08.2009

Trans done in again in Alberta

Trans done in again in Alberta

The Alberta provincial government is cutting funds for Gender Reassignment Surgery. Alberta Health and Wellness pays approximately $700,000 each year out of its $12.9 billion budget toward this program. I am told this funds between ten to eighteen surgeries per year. As one person put it, that is only 19 cents for every person in Alberta for the year.


If you would like to partake in raising this with the Alberta government you could send your 19 cents to your MLA or the Minister of Finance and or the Premier. Alberta Trans.org posted a short article on why this kind of surgery is important. Check it out, it may help you in writing letters or emails to the Alberta Government.

People upset with the Alberta Government's decision have set up a facebook group called Reinstate Gender Reassignment Surgery Funding in Alberta. If you are affected or want to support this effort, join the group and get in on the discussions and planning taking place.

Taking the government to court is one action being planned as this note asks if others want to join in...
"... I am planning on filing a civil lawsuit against the province of Alberta for sexual discrimination, and breach of the canadian charter of rights and freedoms and for human rights. If there are enough people who want to join to make it a Class Action civil suit let me know."

This latest assault on the Trans community comes just a few weeks ago, the Alberta Government proposed adding sexual orientation to the Human Rights Code but said they would not be adding gender identity to the code (Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship, and Multiculturalism Act).

see also the Calgary Herald, Rights complaint to be filed over Alberta's gender surgery cut

and


1 comment:

dana said...

The latest that I here is that many of the more radical trans people are pushing to have GID removed from the DSM. If this happens, there will be no diagnosed condition to use as a base for requesting the relisting of GID funding.
Dana