i was watching a video on youtube on a trans guy's personal channel and he was talking about health insurance and possibly getting a hysterectomy covered by insurance. i think that's great if it works out in his favor. seems like trans people are always jumping through hoops, especially with the legal and medical systems.
i didn't really do much research on my health insurance (blue cross blue shield) when i first got it, but this guy inspired me a bit so i checked out the bcbs website. this is what i found:
"In addition to the specific exclusions listed elsewhere in your Contract, the following General Exclusions apply:...#58: Treatment leading to, or in connection with, transsexual Surgery."
i'm not a bit surprised because health insurances are only beginning to cover trans related health costs, but it did make me angry - how can it not? this is a case of blatant discrimination. i didn't even bother to read the other however many exclusions, but i'm sure those have made others angry as well. plain and simple, trans people are people, people with specific health/medical needs. this might be a terrible analogy...but just like diabetic people need insulin, most trans people need hormones.
number two on the list is changing my birth certificate (name and sex). it seems that i need the following documents: an application (they mailed me the wrong one), court order for name change with seal, certified proof of publication, letter from SRS surgeon specifying date, place and procedure (this needs to be a hysterectomy in new york state), actual operative report from SRS surgeon, letter from therapist documenting "true" transsexualism (as opposed to "false" transsexualism...?), and a letter from an endocrinologist or other medical physician concerning "hormonal" information. rawr is all i have to say. it's actually EASIER to change your passport than your birth certificate...well at least for me as someone who was born in new york state. i sent out my documents to change my name and sex on my passport yesterday.
lastly, i really do not like the word "lifestyle", especially in reference to GLBTQI (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender/transsexual (do i need two 't's' for that?), queer/questioning (?), intersexed)...am i missing any?) people. i think in some ways it has somehow become associated GLBTQI people (how, i have no idea) and for some reason, at least in my experience has come up A LOT when discussing GLBTQI people - though maybe this is not a common experience.
to begin i feel like it has a negative connotation because the way it has come up in discussions for me has always been something like "oh i don't understand your lifestyle" (in reference to being trans), or "how's your lifestyle treating you?". it seems to me that questions/comments like and similar to these regard being GLBTQI as a choice (keep in mind that being GLBTQI is NOT a choice), like what these people are really trying to say is something like "wow, why would you ever want to live in such a manner" or "why are you taking such a difficult path?". furthermore, these questions/comments also seem to insinuate that being GLBTQI is what consumes our entire life, every breath and every moment. clearly our GLBTQI-ness sticks out like a sore thumb and these people have a hard time seeing that we are anything other than GLBTQI. fuck.
but really very lastly is the complete and utter lack of single and/or available (yes they are different) women here. this is seriously going to make me stir crazy. if you have my number please feel free to give it to any woman, ages 22 to 42, you may see from this moment on. thank you.
this wasn't supposed to be a negative post, so i will make a quick note of things i like very much, especially and most definitely when i'm sleep deprived:
-my spectacular day-dreaming abilities
-day-dreaming of beautiful and perhaps naked women
-beautiful women
-warm, full cup of tea or coffee
-a comfortable bed
-a beautiful and perhaps woman enjoying a warm full cup of coffee or tea with me in a comfortable bed
fin.
Yet Another Testosterone Shortage in Canada
1 year ago
4 comments:
Blue Cross Blue Shield is pretty discriminatory when it comes to *anything* trans-related- they wouldn't even cover counseling sessions related to gender dysphoria. Unless the gender dysphoria is causing suicidal thoughts and depression, but once those are gone (a good thing, I'd say), apparently it's not important enough to pay for. Insurance companies are so damn frustrating.
As for GLBTQI, I've seen GLBTQIA, but I don't know if the A is for Ally or Asexual. There are so many letters now, they might as well just say "non-heteronormative" and call it a day.
Sorry things are so stressful. Focus more on day dreams for a couple days maybe :)
Try Butch-femme.com for finding potential girlfriends -- very trans friendly, and many women looking specifically for transmen.
I am not surprised about the insurance co. thats who i have and i had to pay 233 $ for my phsyical for work because I am over 19 and under 45 and the visit is considered "preventative care"..so basically they are telling me that I should be unhealthy like most of America and then they will pay.......?
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