You can be as confused as you like when it comes to Transpeople, non-binary and gender fluidity, that’s your business. I’m not here to help you figure it out either, because it’s not my place and I’m not educated enough on the matter to get you anywhere useful.  However, the key word is “People” as in human beings that already exist no matter how you feel. Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Sons, Daughters, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Friends… People.

They are in danger because of the person occupying 1600. Many have changed their government paperwork to reflect their identity, many have not, some just can’t because the box doesn’t exist, but as of the effective date of the change he finalized, insurance and providers hold their future in the balance.

The Black LGBTQ+ community will feel this the worst based on everything else Black people face in healthcare. As if Black folks need something else to fight in this season of Rona & Racism. Can I also just note that there are cis-gender straight people that don’t look like how they identify. So this is a problem that opens up harassment for many.

We need insurance companies and providers to raise their voice right now and state that they will not discriminate no matter the nuance in the wording change. It’s important to make it clear and provide assurances to our Siblings that they will be covered and cared for.

If they do not, we may possibly see a decline in Transpeople, non-binary and gender fluid people seeking care out of fear of either rejection of care or financial ruin of being left with the bill and no legal grounds to fight the decisions made. We can’t just let people die because we are obsessed with knowing exactly how they pee and if they look like that’s how they should pee. In the middle of a pandemic especially, we want everyone to feel safe to seek care, it literally helps us all.

What can you do? Pick the ones that work best for you

• Ask your insurance providers to say where they stand.
• Ask your employer to divest if the providers are willing to put your co-workers and their families in danger.
• Ask your doctor to tell you where they stand so that you can determine if you need to divest.

Why do I care?

• I’m a mother of a baby that’s not old enough to tell me exactly who he is yet. I need this place that we live to be safe for whatever he reveals himself to be, because it’s already hard enough to be Black in America.
• I’m the niece of a Transman that beat cancer years ago, and I need them to always be able to stay healthy.
• I’m a human that cares about whether or not another human lives or dies because of something we could’ve all stood up and prevented.

PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER and that’s not Ok!