Transgenderism and health policy in Canada

This paper explores the health care policies governing sex reassignment surgery across the Canadian Provinces as mandated under the Canada Health Act that guarantees the principles of universality, portability, accessibility, and not for profit. This review is conducted within the domain of mental health issues because GID (Gender Identity Disorder) is recognized as a medical condition by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association based on Standards of Care of Gender Identity Disorders. Transsexualism is recognized as a psychiatric disorder by the American Psychiatric Association and World Health Organization. It is noted that SRS (sex reassignment surgery) is the recommended treatment for transsexuals who cannot live their original sex and gender role.

So, why focus on Health Policies? The head of the Clinical Sexology Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, argues that as an effective treatment for a specific mental disorder, sex reassignment surgery SRS is as deserving of public funding as any other psychiatric treatment. As contributing and productive members of society, transsexuals and their families should be treated with equity and fairness by the health care system. Can their rights be guaranteed by health care policies across the country? Or is it dependent upon a health capability paradigm with goals of a just society? Investigations reveal that in some provincial jurisdictions, lack of funding has resulted in the delisting of SRS from the health coverage and given a very low priority. For example in Ontario, where the Gender identify Clinic began in 1969 at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto, patients were sent to this clinic and their surgery paid for by the Ontario government until October 01/1998 when the funding was terminated.