The Department of Veterans Affairs is taking the first steps to provide gender confirmation services, including formatting the ability to conduct gender confirmation surgery, marking the first efforts of the VA to assist an estimated 150,000 trans veterans.
According NBC News, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough said the move is an effort to make amends for a “dark history” of discrimination against LGBTQ service members. McDonough made the announcement in LGBTQ Pride Month.
“We’re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,” he said, noting that LGBTQ communities suffer from higher suicide rates, and veterans in the LGBTQ communities having higher rates of mental illness and suicidal thoughts, but do not seek help from the VA for fear of discrimination.
The directive by the VA will start a years-long process in accessing the needs and capabilities within the VA to help its LGBTQ patients, including still making a decision about offering gender reassignment surgery.