TAVA’s Policy Proposal for the Democratic National Committee Has Been Adopted
Thanks to the vision and hard work of TAVA co-founder and vice president Angela Brightfeather, TAVA was successful in persuading the Democratic National Committee to adopt policy that aims to remove discriminatory barriers to medically necessary healthcare for Veterans, service members and eligible family members.
The specific revisions enhanced and expanded platform policies to read:
“VHA POLICY – We will (DNC) reverse the Trump Administration’s hateful Transgender ban and it’s discriminatory exclusions in military health care and insure that LGBTQ+ service members and families enjoy equal respect, benefits and care.”
“DOD POLICY – We will ensure that VA benefits address the full needs of our women Veterans, including reproductive services. And that every Veteran receives [comprehensive and] culturally competent care and
[equal] benefits regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and eliminate transgender
exclusions.”
TAVA believes that these changes in the party platform of the DNC will potentially facilitate legislation in the next Congress so that Transgender Veterans and those on Active Duty will be able to obtain Gender confirming Surgery as an equal right for all Transgender people in the military.
Angela Brightfeather Sheedy, TAVA’s Vice President noted that, “These changes will finally support us on an aggressive path to obtain equal and fair health benefits, educate others in their importance to transgender people and provide a path for the entire transgender community to follow in obtaining their equal rights. When that
happens, it will save many thousands of Transgender lives, surrendered to the discrimination, hatred and lack of hope in the past.”
Current regulatory and policy restrictions on gender confirming surgery prevent Veterans and service members from obtaining these well-established procedures, which have been determined by virtually all major medical associations to be effective treatment for reducing the potentially life threatening effects of gender dysphoria. TAVA looks forward to the day when trans Veterans and service members can obtain the medically necessary health care they have earned.