Are Breasts a Right or a Privilege?

[Shana A]

Jacob M. Appel
Posted: May 30, 2010 01:38 PM
      
Are Breasts a Right or a Privilege?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-m-appel/are-breasts-a-right-or-a_b_594837.html

Although the National Health Service in Great Britain has paid for gender reassignment surgery for transsexuals since 1999, at a cost of approximately £10,000 per procedure, precisely how much masculinization or feminization should be funded by the taxpayers remains a matter of ongoing controversy. Many patients with Gender Identity Disorder have for years complained that local health trusts generate countless bureaucratic obstacles for those seeking reassignment, often reducing the NHS promise of medical therapy into merely a paper right. In contrast, Christian conservatives--many of whom deny the existence of Gender Identity Disorder, or believe it should not be treated at all--have drawn attention to costly services available to transsexuals but not to the general population, such as last week's revelation that the NHS in Glasgow was advertising for a "hair removal specialist" for its transgender clients. Now, in a Kafkaesque decision that may prove a setback to transsexual health rights, Justice David Bean of the High Court has ruled that funding for breast enhancement for male-to-female transsexuals is not an essential part of their transformation.

[MillieB]

These kind of stories suggest that the NHS roll out the red carpet and pay all of the costs of transition for transsexuals in the U.K and this is simply not true. I don't know of one trans woman who has had a BA on the NHS (I think that it has happened, but you would have to be very very lucky). Similarly things like facial hair removal are also not considered a core procedure and therefore not funded. There was a lot of rubbish about the hair removal job advertisement in the U.K with one columnist saying 'Can't they pay for their own leg waxes and razors?' When in fact, that job will be for genital hair removal prior to surgery (which I think that we can all agree is pretty essential')

As for the breast augmentation thing, no I don't think that it is a core procedure and like all flat chested women, if you want big boobs then get saving. To be honest though, I do think that facial hair removal should be funded as it impacts so much on the quality of life.


I have to be honest, I'm biting the bullet and taking the private route as I am really no fan of the NHS attitude towards transsexual people.

[spacial]

The NHS is a political football. Frequently cited when there is little else to moan about.

This story was intiially picked up by the Daily Mail in the Richard Littlejohn column.

It's a bit difficult to describe Richard Littlejohn without appearing arrogant. But a quick read of his piece gives a pretty good idea of the sort of style he has.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1281171/What-NHS-Bikini-waxes-bisexuals.html

Then, picked up by The Christian Institute.
http://www.christian.org.uk/news/nhs-hiring-hair-removal-expert-for-transsexuals/

The NHS has a lot of serious problems, almost all of them, a consequence of the way it was set up. The case for transgendered patients can only be made when the issues are clear.

Sooner or later, the NHS will need to undergo a radical reorganisation. It is badly run and over burdoned by too many superfluorus staff. Up till now, few politicians would dare say so as this would be certain political suicide.

What Littlehohn has done here is to highlight a post, incorrectly as it happens, as an example of that.