VA Backs Out of Gender Confirmation Surgery

Citing money problems, the Veterans Administration reversed their former stance of approving SRS surgeries.

As with most things with the VA, timing is everything as the announcement came out during Transgender Awareness Week. This is also the government agency which has been routinely in the news for poor care or excessive spending elsewhere. So playing the money card doesn't make sense.

What does make sense is, with the new anti LGBT administration coming into power, we will have to circle our wagons to protect hard earned victories.

Sarah McBride

The Human Rights Campaign is marking Transgender Awareness Week with the launch of a coalition of parent-advocates and new anti-bullying efforts aimed at educators. And in both of these big projects, HRC has put forward its stunning and eloquent National Press Secretary, Sarah McBride.

McBride, 26, was the first out transgender American to address a national political convention earlier this year and as the spokeswoman of the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights group, has become its new face to the public, especially since the election of Donald Trump.

"There’s no question a lot of transgender students and their parents woke up Wednesday morning really scared,” McBride told the Associated Press on Sunday, speaking for HRC. “I’m feeling the way a lot of folks are feeling — worried that the heart of this country isn’t big enough to love us, too.”

On HRCs Facebook page, McBride appears in a video aimed at “combatting bullying and continuing the fight toward equality until we are all treated with the dignity and respect we deserve.”

To find out more about HRC’s new Parents for Transgender Equality Council, click here, and to see the training film addressing bullying of LGBTQ children, click here to watch, “What Can We Do?

Love It When a Plan Comes Together

Yesterday was one of those days. Like it or not I had a full day of appointments at the VA, usually the litmus test of my external acceptance as a woman. Over the years being transgender I have had my share of stares and comments from other patients (not staff). In fact in the case of some of my health care providers I have MtF transitioned in front of them as they prescribed my HRT.

Of course the success was a product of the two "c's" - clothing and confidence. From the ground up I wore my new boots, black tights and a lite sweater which dropped over my hips. For once I did just the right amount of makeup to look light I wasn't trying and my hair is still holding it's color and fighting back the gray.

Most importantly though, all my health appointments came through well. Without your health after all nothing else matters.

Secondly, I didn't receive many learing second looks and the only comments were "Ma'am" and "She."

The whole day was worth the old days of torment and turmoil I endured and I wondered why. I give credit to the boots giving me the support to improve my posture. Standing up straight has been such a hard habit to break. For such a long time I felt bending over a bit cut my height down. It did but gave me the poor posture most women don't have. Plus, even standing up straight still didn't make me that tall and more importantly made me look thicker. Not a good thing.

Finally, confidence is such a fragile thing. I for one would think as long as I have been out and about now, I would have plenty. Even still, confidence is my constant companion in my purse-good or bad. Yesterday it turns out I had plenty of the good kind.