Moral oblivion
comes with a price tag. There are many costs, such as 1.5 million a day for Planned Parenthood and all the children from single-parent homes needing services, but I want to turn my attention to a recent addition to the
taxpayer ledger. Until May 30 of this year,
Medicare denied requests for sex reassignments surgeries, but the procedure is
now considered medically necessary for people who feel nature assigned them the
wrong parts. I’m not making light of this painful situation but I am
saying: Oh come on!
The determination
was made based on the case of a 74-year old transgendered Army veteran who
disputed Medicare’s refusal to pay for reconstruction surgery. Since
seventy-four-year-old bodies usually start falling apart, it would seem that a
major overhaul would not be in his best interest in a number of ways.
But he wanted what he wanted and it wasn’t golf.
The
ruling reversed a Medicare policy that has been in place since 1981, which goes
to prove that we used to be much smarter back then. The review board
ruled that the $50,000 surgery is now safe and effective and can no longer be
considered experimental. I am disappointed but not shocked. After
all, some people call abortions safe and effective too. Some university
and large company health plans have also jumping on board—or rather
overboard—with coverage, which goes to prove that peer pressure is alive and
not well.
In
an interview, the senior-citizen army veteran acknowledged that he would be
criticized but said he wanted congruence between how he feels and how he
looks. I can totally relate to that now that I’m getting older.
Seriously, I do not feel a day over thirty but my body is not congruent with
those feelings.
It
turns out, that this story is not even big news because taxpayers in many
states have already been paying for transgender benefits for convicted felons.
Colorado, Massachusetts, and Virginia are among the states that pay for such
things as hormone treatments, hair removal and makeup. For instance, a
federal appellate court in Virginia, ruled that Michael Stokes, serving a
73-year sentence in Virginia for robbing a bank, was entitled to sex-change
surgery lest his time in prison be cruel and unusual punishment.
turns out, that this story is not even big news because taxpayers in many
states have already been paying for transgender benefits for convicted felons.
Colorado, Massachusetts, and Virginia are among the states that pay for such
things as hormone treatments, hair removal and makeup. For instance, a
federal appellate court in Virginia, ruled that Michael Stokes, serving a
73-year sentence in Virginia for robbing a bank, was entitled to sex-change
surgery lest his time in prison be cruel and unusual punishment.
At
the moment, there is yet another such situation afoot. Chelsea Manning (formerly
known as Bradley) recently filed a lawsuit claiming that the Department of Defense is responsible for providing
gender-reassignment surgery so that she (chromosomally he) will feel more
comfortable in her own skin. She is currently incarcerated in Fort
Leavenworth prison while claiming that the prison is denying her necessary
medical treatment for “gender dysphoria.” (Dysphoria: a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with
life.)
the moment, there is yet another such situation afoot. Chelsea Manning (formerly
known as Bradley) recently filed a lawsuit claiming that the Department of Defense is responsible for providing
gender-reassignment surgery so that she (chromosomally he) will feel more
comfortable in her own skin. She is currently incarcerated in Fort
Leavenworth prison while claiming that the prison is denying her necessary
medical treatment for “gender dysphoria.” (Dysphoria: a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with
life.)
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| Bradley/Chelsea Manning |
Chelsea’s
attorney says that the Constitution obligates the Department of Defense to
treat her for this medical condition so that she can fully express her gender identity. The young private
is serving a 35-year sentence for sending classified documents to the WikiLeaks
website. Chelsea made a public statement that that it is a matter of law
that her condition be treated, much like depression or anxiety needs treatment.
She mentioned that the increased male gender norm found in a prison is a
“major imposition” for her. No doubt.
attorney says that the Constitution obligates the Department of Defense to
treat her for this medical condition so that she can fully express her gender identity. The young private
is serving a 35-year sentence for sending classified documents to the WikiLeaks
website. Chelsea made a public statement that that it is a matter of law
that her condition be treated, much like depression or anxiety needs treatment.
She mentioned that the increased male gender norm found in a prison is a
“major imposition” for her. No doubt.
Part of the
problem with all this confusion and immorality in our culture is that so many
people are saying, Okay, cool, instead of, Say what? The
general public is usually stingy with their sympathies for uncomfortable
prisoners. A prisoner not getting treated for depression would not
attract much public attention or fan mail, and yet, one wanting sex-change surgery
is getting lot of both. I know it’s a deep and painful issue for people
feeling they are in the wrong body, but we need to draw the line somewhere. Of late, the government has been trying to draw the line to keep
Christian values out while opening the floodgates to every other value and charging us for it too. Sympathy is cheap but sex-change surgeries
are not.
problem with all this confusion and immorality in our culture is that so many
people are saying, Okay, cool, instead of, Say what? The
general public is usually stingy with their sympathies for uncomfortable
prisoners. A prisoner not getting treated for depression would not
attract much public attention or fan mail, and yet, one wanting sex-change surgery
is getting lot of both. I know it’s a deep and painful issue for people
feeling they are in the wrong body, but we need to draw the line somewhere. Of late, the government has been trying to draw the line to keep
Christian values out while opening the floodgates to every other value and charging us for it too. Sympathy is cheap but sex-change surgeries
are not.
And in the end, is this expensive surgery fixing problems or just changing
the way they look? A Danish study released in 2011, said that sex change
surgeries are not even the end all and be for “gender dysphoria.” The Long-Term Follow-Up of Transsexual Persons Undergoing Sex Reassignment
Surgery: Cohort Study, showed considerably higher risks for mortality,
suicidal behavior, and psychiatric problems than the general population. (Not
that the general population is doing that well either.) This suggests to me
that there were other problems to begin with. But instead, the findings
were translated to mean: add more long-term treatment. But you already
saw that one coming, didn’t you?
the way they look? A Danish study released in 2011, said that sex change
surgeries are not even the end all and be for “gender dysphoria.” The Long-Term Follow-Up of Transsexual Persons Undergoing Sex Reassignment
Surgery: Cohort Study, showed considerably higher risks for mortality,
suicidal behavior, and psychiatric problems than the general population. (Not
that the general population is doing that well either.) This suggests to me
that there were other problems to begin with. But instead, the findings
were translated to mean: add more long-term treatment. But you already
saw that one coming, didn’t you?
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