MILITARY.COM – The Department of Veterans Affairs will no longer provide hormone therapy and other gender-related care to [so-called] transgender veteran patients not already receiving those treatments in the VA or Defense Department health systems, officials announced Monday.
Effective immediately, VA patients with gender dysphoria who aren’t already taking hormones will not have access to that care.
Advocates said transgender veterans will not have access to the complete medical care they need due to the VA rollback of services — originally affirmed under a directive issued under the first Trump administration — and warned it could push more veterans into crisis, with potentially deadly outcomes.
“VA’s rollback of crucial protections, specifically the elimination of Directive 1341, is a direct assault on the well-being of vulnerable LGBTQ+ veterans, jeopardizing their access to essential care,” Rachel Branaman, executive director of Modern Military Association of America, said in a statement.
“The department \will no longer provide new prosthetics, wigs or other medical devices or services such as voice or communication training to transgender patients.”
The changes, which began Friday after the VA rescinded the 2018 directive on gender-affirming care for transgender veterans, are related to an executive order issued Jan. 20 by President Donald Trump declaring that the federal government recognizes only two sexes: male and female.
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The order prohibited the use of gender identity on official documents and sought to prevent the use of taxpayer dollars for programs and services that support transgender people.
“I mean no disrespect to anyone, but VA should not be focused on helping veterans attempt to change their sex,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement Monday.
“All eligible veterans — including trans-identified veterans — will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they’ve earned under the law. But if veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime … ”