Cuts to surgery elicit protest from LGBT community

Metro Canada - Calgary, Canada

Cuts to surgery elicit protest from LGBT community

KRISTA SYLVESTER
METRO CALGARY

April 09, 2009 5:39 a.m.

Members of Alberta€ ’²s transgendered, gay, lesbian and bisexual
community are preparing for a battle with the Alberta government after
cuts were made to gender reassignment surgery.

The Alberta government delisted gender reassignment from its funding
coverage as part of the budget announcement Tuesday.

€ ’³This is a decision we feel is based on ignorance and discrimination.
On paper it seemed like an easy cut but this is people€ ’²s lives we€ ’²re
talking about,€ ’´ Kristopher Wells, researcher at the Institute for
Sexual Minority Studies based in the University of Edmonton, said.

€ ’³These medical transitions are not a choice for some people, it€ ’²s a
necessary medical procedure,€ ’´ he added.

The cuts to the funding would only save Alberta Health and Wellness
about $700,000 a year, a cost Wells feels isn€ ’²t worth the
consequences.

€ ’³Some members of this community report being born in the wrong body
and gender reassignment surgery helps to re-establish their biological
self with their emotional self,€ ’´ Wells said.

Wells launched a Facebook group regarding the issue and already has
over 360 members.

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http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/local/article/210858