From the San Francisco Chronicle

Few gay rights groups insure for sex changes

by Wyatt Buchanan

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

As large companies expand health benefits for transgender employees, few civil rights organizations for the gay, lesbian and bisexual community have followed their lead.

Representatives of several gay rights groups said they have too few employees to negotiate for transition-related benefits and that the benefits would significantly increase the costs of their insurance premiums.

Still, two organizations -- the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Lesbian Rights -- do pay whatever expenses are incurred by transitioning employees.

"I've seen a shift, nearly unanimous consensus, among medical providers that sex reassignment and hormones are necessary for transgender people," said Shannon Minter, legal director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, a San Francisco organization with 21 employees and a $3.2 million budget.

"We have reached that point, which is why I think we're going to see widespread change in insurance practices," said Minter, who transitioned while working at the law firm. "There are no good arguments left on the other side."

Mark Roy, spokesman for Lambda Legal, said his organization inquires about coverage during every negotiation with its insurance provider.

"It's a catch-22," Roy said. Insurers offer it, he said. "But in reality, nobody can afford it."

The 100-employee organization does not pay any of employees' costs for transitioning.

"Our ($11 million) budget would definitely not allow for that," Roy said.

Other major organizations -- the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation -- took the same position.

Andre Wilson, who is working nationally to persuade employers to offer comprehensive benefits for transgender people, called the issue "a failure of the LGBT movement."

"The non-transgender gay people are afraid to bring this out; it has taken a decade to bring this kind of pressure," Wilson said, adding that he thinks any of these organizations with more than 20 employees should offer the benefits.