Gender Affirming Surgeries Are Unaffordable And Inaccessible – Here’s What Needs To Change
Procedures can cost up to $70,000.
A petition to make all gender-affirming surgeries fully subsidised by Medicare for trans community has garnered over 100,000 signatures.
Lodged with Parliament, it calls on the House of Representatives to acknowledge the vitality of these services “for the mental health and well-being of select people in the LGBTQ+ community” so they can “finally have their outward appearance match how they truly feel on the inside”.
Trans activist Sally Goldner said the petition is about justice, as well as finally awarding health and financial benefits to the community. “There has to be some way of making sure medical costs are affordable for all trans people in this country, regardless of income and wealth,” she told Junkee.
What Are Gender-Affirming Surgeries And Why Are They So Important?
These procedures allow patients’ bodies to reflect their gender identity. They include facial reconstruction, vocal surgery, or ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ reassignment — and are recognised as medically necessary in the eyes of the Federal Government.
Affirming surgery is one option for people experiencing gender dysphoria, and is a “critically important part of how we affirm our gender,” according to resource group TransHub. A 2013 study by Flinders University found that in general, for “people who desired sex-affirming surgery, having had surgery was related to higher levels of positive mental health”.
“Any trans surgery is often life-saving,” said Goldner. “It keeps people alive and healthy.”
What Are The Barriers Currently In Place?
These procedure item numbers aren’t undertaken in the public system, so they come with hefty gap payments, reliance on private health insurance, and even then, some aren’t even covered by Medicare at all.
Gender affirming surgeries can run up to tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket, with many people forced to turn to community fundraisers or early superannuation withdrawals to meet the costs. “The bureaucratic system should be non-existent,” said Goldner. “This isn’t good enough, it leaves people in the middle of nowhere. It really needs to be sorted out.”
Goldner explained that for people assigned male at birth, including trans women and people needing lower surgery, prices can be up to $16,000 for the critical procedure. Breast reductions for people assigned female are an estimated $13,000, while lower surgery for trans men hike up to approximately $70,000.
What Needs To Change?
Goldner said the sheer rounds this petition has already done is sending a strong message of support to the trans community in an overdue fight for more clarity and equity. “This is a matter of human decency to make sure no one is left stuck not being able to have the surgery that they need, simply because of discrimination,” said Goldner.
You can sign the petition here.