Teenagers in Oregon aged 15 and above can now get sex-change operation without parental consent. A change in Oregon state law extends the health coverage to include sex change surgery and other medical costs that such procedure may incur. The new change in legislation would be implemented starting January 1. But what makes the legislation controversial is that teenagers as young as 15 could avail of the medical package for sex reassignment and that's without parental consent.
Backers of the legislation defended that the law aims at saving teenagers from suffering from dysphoria, an emotion condition wherein an individual's sex does not match to the gender that he or she desires to have. Gender dysphoria is believed to have triggered suicide among confused teens.
Sex change surgery and similar treatments are covered by Medicaid and teenagers may avail of this benefit if the belong to a household that makes 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
While the new policy has met the criticism of the conservative group, gender equality advocates, meanwhile, defended the new measure.
"It's not like surgery on demand," Danny Askini of Gender Justice League said. He explained that gender transition is not an easy or fast pace and cannot be immediately achieved by a mere visit to the doctor. He also called those who opposed the law as people with no idea of the "realistic portrayal of how extraordinarily difficult it is for young people to transition."
According to the Oregon Health Authority, around 175 people per year on average is expected to utilise Medicaid for gender transition. So far, no minor has undergone gender-change surgery but Askini believes it would be beneficial if they are given the option.
"The reality is that denying people access to this care leads to a lot of negative long-term outcomes he explained.
Parents' rights groups, on the other hand, reacted on the new law.
This move, which was first reported in New York Times is considered a "mutilating treatment," according to Dr. Paul McHugh, chief of Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Department. He also emphasized that no study exists to prove that teenagers who wish to undergo gender change would get any long-term benefit from this endeavor.
