The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that it will no longer provide hormone therapy for veterans who are newly diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
This decision comes after an executive order from President Donald Trump, which directs federal agencies to recognize only two sexes, male and female, and says they cannot be changed. However, transgender veterans are still welcome at the VA, but if they want hormone therapy or gender-related treatments, they will need to pay for it themselves.
Since 2011, the VA has been offering gender-affirming care, including mental health support, evaluations, and letters for surgeries, as well as post-surgery and long-term care. Although the VA has never covered surgeries themselves, it has provided other services like fertility treatments, voice coaching, and prosthetics.
Some VA staff have been told to remove LGBTQ+ materials, such as rainbow flags and "All are welcome here" posters. However, the VA will still continue hormone therapy for veterans who were already receiving it before this new policy, to avoid causing harm by stopping their treatments abruptly.
Doug Collins, the secretary of veterans affairs, explained that while the VA should not focus on helping veterans change their sex, they will still support veterans in other ways.
Mary Brinkmeyer, a psychologist who worked with LGBTQ+ veterans, resigned after refusing to remove support materials. She said, "Our code of ethics is, 'First do no harm,' and I had to follow that over institutional demands."
Brinkmeyer is concerned that stopping hormone treatments and changing how bathrooms and rooms are assigned will discourage veterans from seeking care for gender dysphoria. Studies show that gender dysphoria is more common among veterans than the general population, and veterans with it are much more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or events.
Brinkmeyer fears that limiting care could harm these veterans. She worries that without other insurance options, many transgender veterans, who may be homeless or underemployed, may not seek help if they are suicidal, choosing not to go to the VA.
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