#transgender discrimination

[hungercityhellhound]

Something you might not know about the transmasculine people in your life (or anyone taking testosterone but especially for transmasculine and gender diverse people).

Let me introduce you to PDMPs. If you don't know what these are they are Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs. Doctors are mandated to report all controlled substances prescribed to these agencies in pretty much every state. It has to be reported no matter how the prescriber or pharmacist may feel about the act of reporting. Testosterone is a scheduled drug regulated by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) under the Controlled Substance Act.

Here is where it gets dicey and could become problematic. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs do not report this to the government. It should be kept to medical persons and pharmaceutical persons administering and despensing drugs. However, confidentiality of this is not kept from law enforcement and others if there are "concerns the patient is a danger to themselves or others." The current rhetoric in the US is that transgender people are threats to others... to women and children and to some the very fabric of society. In addition, the rhetoric of transition being self harm or mutilation. If that is the common thought in the area, of the prescribing doctor, or becomes a state or federal instated ideology then medical privacy, HIPAA, etc no longer applies to transgender and nonbinary individuals reguarding their testosterone based HRT (This does not apply to transwomen or gender diverse individuals on estrogen based HRT since estrogen is not listed as a controlled substance). This information can currently be accessed by law enforcement and other agencies without a warrant. And suddenly there is a convenient list of every transgender individual on testosterone since medical records include things like sex assigned at birth, current gender identity, and diagnosis like gender dysphoria or gender noncongruence AND home address. It is also important to know that the "off-market use" of testosterone can be considered criminal activity according to some drug legislation.

THANKFULLY!!!

This is not currently a problem, yet. This does make information important. Here are some things that can help to be knowledgable about.

Having gender expansive uses of testosterone added to the standard medical uses of testosterone. While medical associations around endocrinology and mental health have it as standard use, testosterone has yet to be listed as a standard or FDA-approved medication for transgender and gender expansive individuals or for the treatment of gender dysphoria or noncongruence. (the same is true for estrogen, though that usage is not tracked by most PDMPs)

Ensuring gender affirming care is not banned, blocked or limited, especially ensuring it is not listed as criminal in some way.

This research document covers the discussion of gender-affirming care bans and PDMPs It concludes that law enforcement has access to this information without basic safeguards (ie warrant or subpoena) and in many cases access to the information across state lines. It also has a great reference section for more info.

This law document covers the legal aspects of PDMP medical surveillance.

Blocking state and federal policies similar to the "Protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation" policy. You can read that here or other policies that frame transition as mutilation/self harm, or express the needs to protect people from transgender individuals because they are inherently dangerous by simply existing.

Understand that under the current US political climate, some areas could or potentially do track estrogen and puberty blockers for gender expansive and transgender individuals. This could also change due to the PDMPs allowance for non-scheduled "drugs of concern" to be tracked.

It is important to know there are members of the government who are and have been speaking about this to the DOJ, example Ed Markey of Mass. since 2022.

The ACLU has also been challenging the DEA on this as well for a long time.

Keep in mind this is true for all scheduled substances that are given via prescription including some pain medications, mifepristone, gabapentin, and medications used to wean individuals off of addictive substances.

The CDC has a decent resource about PDMPs here Though this angles it toward Opiods and overdose prevention, the information is also true for other scheduled medications.

January of this year California, through the CURES legislation, prohibitied to reporting of testosterone prescriptions to PDMPs on the grounds of patient privacy.. (It also blocked the reporting of mifepristone prescriptions) The stipulation also required the removal of existing records from the database too. There is a pdf on it here

Finally, I do not know if there are similar situations outside the US. If there are, please leave comments or PM me with that information so I can add it to this resource.

[asexual-insomniac]

It’s that time of year again where I feel it necessary to remind people not to donate to the Salvation Army. They are very homophobic and transphobic. They will refuse to serve or shelter people who are in the LGBTQIA+ community. They also support and advocate for conversion therapy for youth. They’ve forced people to pray before they serve them food. Please find a different charity to donate to this Christmas such as a local food pantry or homeless shelter.

Please Don’t Support the Salvation Army

It’s an anti-LGBTQ Church

The Starvation Army: Twelve reasons to reject the Salvation Army

The Salvation Army's History of Anti-LGBT Discrimination

Would-be donors should consider whether "doing the most good" might mean supporting one of the many other effective and reputable charities

[the-real-slim-shady]

Hey, guys, gals and nonbinary pals, this is important

So recently the Trump administration finalized a rule that is going to remove nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people when it comes to health care and insurance. 

The rule focuses on nondiscrimination protections laid out in Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. Federal law established that it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. In 2016, an Obama-era rule explained that the word "sex" used in the rule also includes those based on gender identity, which it defined as "male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female" 

In June 2019, under Trump, the HHS office for Civil rights proposed a rule that reverses the one Obama put in place. 

Roger Servino, the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services, says that this rule will save hospitals money since they will be relieved of the requirement to print notices of nondiscrimination in multiple languages. 

Just to make this clear, Servino says that taking  the protection from discrimination away from transgender and nonbinary individuals is good because it will fucking save money. This is fucking bullshit. 

Under this rule, a transgender person could be refused a checkup at a doctor's office. A transgender man could be denied treatment for ovarian cancer,  or a hysterectomy would not be covered by an insurer, or a surgery could cost more when it's related to someone's gender transition. 

This rule could also mean that people seeking an abortion could be denied care if the procedure violates the doctor's moral or religious beliefs. 

Even with the rule finalized, an LGBTQ person who has been discriminated against can still sue, and courts might still rule that their civil rights were violated, but that's not an easy road to take. 

Because of limited access to litigation, the ramifications of this rule are huge. Protection can also vary based on where someone lives, so this will create a patchwork of civil rights, where not everyone will have the same protection. 

This is so fucked up, and I don't even think there's much we can do about it. 

Congress does have a way of invalidating this rule using the Congressional Review Act, but that would only happen if 2 things happen within the 60 days that Congress is in session

1) Trump is no longer the president and

2) Simple majorities in both chambers of Congress vote to block the rule

Even if Democrats do well in November, it's still very unlikely for both these things to happen. 

Please please please be aware of what's going on.

[the-desolated-quill]

Jk Rowling, what the fuck are you doing, you strange, stupid, bigoted old hag?!?! 😡🤬😤

[semitallmuffin]

Guys please help

Dude; my brother is not understanding the gender, transgender concept. He is equating wanting a sex change because you feel different to. "Well what if I want to be a different colour; what if I want to be black?" Which is the most white boy thing to say ever. He thinks that is the same. I feel differently but dont know how to explain that it's different without being super rude and not articulate whatsoever. He brings up that video of that woman yelling at the employee of the store for calling her Sir. He says that's so rude. I say it's also rude to misgender someone, regardless of how much they're being an ass. How do I explain? So that his dumbass white boy brain will understand and not be defensive?

[thetravelerscompanion]

Hey, maybe TERFs could, like, not follow me or reblog my shit. If you exclude or discriminate against trans people, I ain't got nothing for you. This blog isn't for you. Go elsewhere.

[hellyeahscarleteen]

Health-care providers would be able to refuse to provide treatment, referrals, or assistance with procedures if these activities would violate their stated religious or moral convictions.

[dr-archeville]

Transgender Employees, Excluded from State Health Plan, Sue North Carolina for Discrimination

“Revoking health insurance coverage for transgender employees puts the state of North Carolina on the wrong side of history."

The state health plan’s refusal to cover the cost of gender dysphoria treatment for transgender individuals amounts to discrimination, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday.

While hormone therapy and reassignment surgeries were covered in the 2017 plan, they’ve been excluded ever since.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf five state university employees and their families by Lambda Legal and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.  Plaintiffs include Max Kadel, a thirty-six-year-old UNC School of Government employee forced to ration his testosterone medication, and Conor Thonen-Fleck, a sixteen-year-old denied coverage for chest-reassignment surgery.

The defendants include Treasurer Dale Folwell, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Greensboro, and N.C. State, as well as the administrator of the health plan.

"Revoking health insurance coverage for transgender employees puts the state of North Carolina on the wrong side of history,” said Noah E. Lewis, an attorney with Transcend Legal.  “North Carolina otherwise provides excellent health care benefits, so it’s a real betrayal to have the state unfairly turn its back on its own employees and their families who face pressing health care needs.”

In a statement, Folwell, a Republican, made clear the state has no intention of changing the policy anytime soon.

"Until the court system, a legislative body, or voters tell us that we ‘have to,’ ‘when to,’ and ‘how to’ spend taxpayers’ money on gender reassignment surgery, I will not make a decision that has the potential to discriminate against those who desire other currently uncovered, elective procedures," Folwell wrote.

While Folwell and other state officials have cited the price tag as a reason or denying coverage, advocates estimate that covering transgender-related treatments would cost between $350,000 and $850,000 annually.  Less than 1 percent of adults identify as transgender in the United States, according to research from the Williams Institute.  The state health plan covers 720,000 state employees and their family members.

The current health plan excludes treatments for gender dysphoria, including hormone therapy, counseling, and surgery, which the lawsuit argues are medically necessary and oftentimes life-saving treatments for individuals with gender dysphoria.  Withholding coverage from these individuals is discrimination on the basis of sex and in violation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the lawsuit alleges.

“This is clearly unlawful discrimination that jeopardizes the health of hardworking state employees and their families.  It stigmatizes them and brands them as second-class," said Lambda Legal attorney Taylor Brown.  “I am a transgender woman, born and raised in North Carolina and an alumna of UNC-Chapel Hill.  This kind of targeted discrimination is shameful to me personally and it does not represent the true values of this state or North Carolinians.”

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