March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility, and we’re asking you to bring visibility to trans issues by writing letters to healthcare decision makers.
Your letter could be your opinions, or your own personal experience with gender affirming healthcare – whether your experiences were positive or negative. Personal experiences touch hearts, so speaking about the impact which healthcare struggles or joys had on you and your emotions can be a strategic decision.
A flood of letters from trans people can make a huge difference, going far, far beyond raising visibility.
Context
The government is planning to replace the District Health Board (DHB) system through the Pae Ora healthcare reforms, so now is a great time to raise the profile of trans healthcare. In our Pae Ora Legislation submission, Gender Minorities Aotearoa focused on the current failure of the healthcare system to meet gender affirming healthcare needs.
You have a legal human right to receive appropriate healthcare, and you have a right to be heard when the government fails to provide it.
For the system to work, there need to be changes at every level: better funding leading to increased capacity to meet the demand without unreasonable surgical requirements, better administration creating better and consistent health pathways and better trained doctors who are not themselves an obstacle to transgender people getting the healthcare we need.
For these sweeping changes to happen, we need Health NZ, and the Ministry of Health, to show strong leadership by first acknowledging the problem and then taking effective action to fix it.
What we want
We call on the government to establish a healthcare system which meets the needs of all trans people. This means a system which acknowledges our rights under the Code of Health and Disability Consumer Rights to access necessary healthcare via informed consent/assumed competence. This also means a system which sustainably provides:
- Voice therapy/training
- Permanent hair removal by electrolysis, laser or IPL
- Chest binding prosthetics (binders)
- Chest reconstruction (double mastectomy and contouring)
- Breast augmentation
- Fertility preservation of both eggs and sperm
- GnRH puberty suppressants (puberty blockers)
- Quick and accessible readiness assessments to establish capacity for informed consent (only in situations when they are really needed)
- A diverse range of hormone therapy options to suit the diverse needs that exist
- Hysterectomies and oopherectomies
- Orchiectomies/orchidectomies
- Clearing the backlog for genital surgery, and a sustainable funding plan
- Improved access to psychologists and counselors when needed
- National, standardised pathways that relocate more responsibilities into primary care (GPs)
Where to send your letter
Your letter could be directed to the healthcare officials within the Ministry of Health, or the acting officials of the future Health NZ. It could also be directed to MPs who have more influence over how funding is allocated at the highest level, MPs who are already committed to championing rainbow rights, or MPs who hold a responsibility to speak out on healthcare issues.
Government healthcare officials
Health and Disability Review Transition Unit DepartmentCabinet
Dr Ashley Bloomfield (Ashley.Bloomfield@health.govt.nz)
Ministry of Health
133 Molesworth Street
Thorndon
Wellington 6011
Martin Hefford, acting chief executive of the interim Health NZ – Martin.Hefford@health.govt.nz
Ministry of Health
133 Molesworth Street
Thorndon
Wellington 6011
Members of Parliament
This includes MPs who have influence over the yearly budget, MPs whose portfolios cover healthcare, and MPs who are already supporters and who will be likely to amplify our concerns
Hon Grant Robertson MP (Grant.Robertson@parliament.govt.nz)
Minister of Finance
PO Box 18 888
Parliament Building
Wellington 6160
Hon Ayesha Verrall MP
Associate Minister of Health responsible for Rainbow Health
PO Box 18 888
Parliament Building
Wellington 6160
Hon Andrew Little MP
Minister of Health
PO Box 18 888
Parliament Building
Wellington 6160
Dr Elizabeth Kerekere MP
Green Party spokesperson for Health and Rainbow Communities
PO Box 18 888
Parliament Building
Wellington 6160
Chris Bishop MP
National Party representative for the cross parliamentary rainbow network
PO Box 18 888
Parliament Building
Wellington 6160
Dr Shane Reti MP
National Party spokesperson for Health
PO Box 18 888
Parliament Building
Wellington 6160
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