Citing Trump’s order, VA stops the most transgender care

Veterans Department is withdrawal Medical treatment confirming sex for veterans, including Hormonal treatment In the case of patients of newly diagnosed sex dysphoria, VA announced on Monday.

VA will continue hormonal treatment for veterans who currently receive or receive it when they separated from the army. The justification is that a sudden cessation may be harmful to patients’ health.

The change of policy was made to meet the executive order by President Trump, entitled “entitled”Defense of women against extremism of gender ideology and restoring biological truth to the federal governmentVa said in a press release.

This order states that the United States will only recognize two sexes, men and women who are not “variable”.

“I mean disrespect for anyone, but Va should not focus on helping veterans in attempts to change sex,” said Doug Collins, Secretary of Va.

Translation veterans will still be welcome in VA, he added: “But if veterans want to try to change gender, they can do it on their own ten -centuries.”

VA provides treatment for sex transition to veterans since 2011. He never provided surgery, but he has Offered support services. In addition to hormone therapy, they included mental health care, preoperative assessments and letters confirming the need for procedures, as well as postoperative and long -term care.

Feeting services, prosthetic devices such as wigs and voice coaching were also offered. These services have been authorized as part of the VA Directive in the field of healthcare for transgender and intersex veterans, knowing 1341 (4), which was repealed.

Many mental health providers in VA had concerns about their ability to continue to ensure proper care for transgender patients after they were ordered to remove rainbow flags and leashes, brochures describing services offered to LGBTQ+ veterans and wall posters that read here “everyone is welcome” and “we serve everyone who served”.

Mary Brinkmeyer, a psychologist who coordinated the care of LGBTQ+ veterans at Hampton Va Medical Center in Virginia, refused to remove signs and leaflets. She recently gave up, fearing that mental health care for transgender veterans would be violated.

“Our ethical code is:” Do not hurt first “, and if you are caught between institutional demand and the ethical code, you must solve it in favor of the Code of Ethics,” said Dr. Brinkmeyer.

Cessation of hormonal treatment, along with the recent designation of VA bathrooms and hospital rooms by biological sex, “will have a real coolness for the readiness of veterans to care for sex dysforah,” she said.

Studies indicate that sexual dysphoria is much higher among veterans than among the general population and that the risk of suicide -related events is up to 20 times higher among veterans with sexual dysforage than in the overall population of veterans’ health administration.

“If veterans do not have other health insurance – and many transgender veterans are homeless or insufficiently employed – will they not look for care, are they suicidal and not go to VA?” Dr. Brinkmeyer asked.