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| Michigan bill would bar gender reassignment surgery in prison |
| By washingtonindependent.com - Todd A. Heywood |
| Published: 08/31/2011 |
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In a move that activists call unnecessary and based on bigotry, Rep. Tom Hooker (R-Byron Center) wants to make sure that Michigan taxpayers do not foot the bill for any gender assignment surgeries Michigan prisoners may need as part of their treatment. Hooker readily admits he knows of no case where a Michigan prisoner has had gender reassignment surgery. But in an interview with the Grand Rapids Press, he explained why he thought the legislation was important to Michigan: “It’s something that’s kind of a common sense thing. I’d much rather be proactive than reactive,” said the Byron Center Republican. “It’s definitely something we want to prevent.” Equality Michigan, a statewide advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, quickly condemned Hooker’s proposal. Denise Brogan-Kator, who is herself transgender, issued the following statement on the legislation: “Representative Hooker’s bill is ill-conceived and is yet another attack on the gay and transgender population of Michigan by this Legislature. To the best of my knowledge, only one other state – Wisconsin – has ever passed such a bill and the federal courts struck it down as unconstitutional. Lawmakers should not be in the business of legislating medical care and should not be substituting its judgment for that of the medical profession in such matters. For Representative Hooker to dance to the tune played by Mr. Glenn, the head of an organization labeled as a hate group by the Southern Law Poverty Center is the very antithesis of the “common-sense” he purports to be exercising. I extend an offer to Mr. Hooker to meet with me and discuss this issue in greater detail.” The SPLC labeled the national American Family Association an extreme anti-gay hate group last year. Officials there said the label did not necessarily apply to the local affiliates because the organization had not had a chance to review their activities and statements to make such a determination. And Kator is correct, a similar law pass in 2005 by the Wisconsin legislature was struck down as unconstitutional by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in August. The court ruled that gender reassignment surgery is no different than any other kind of medical treatment. “Surely,”, the course said, “had the Wisconsin Legislature passed a law that DOC inmates with cancer must be treated only with therapy and painkillers, this court would have no trouble concluding that the law was unconstitutional.” Gender identity disorder is a recognized mental health problem and is treated with therapy, hormone replacement therapies and gender reassignment surgery. In addition to those therapies, the transgender person is encouraged to live his or her life as the gender they believe they are, rather than the gender assigned at birth. In fact, gender reassignment surgery is not an option for transgender persons until and if they complete a period of time living publicly and completely as their self-identified gender. Mental health officials have argued that refusing treatment for transgender patients can lead to dire consequences, including suicide. Read More. |
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