July 2020 – Transgender People With Gender Dysphoria Could Have ‘Rare’ Gene Variants, Study Suggests. Scientists have shed new light on why people may have gender dysphoria—a condition experienced by some transgender people—by identifying “rare” gene variants linked with brain development. By studying the DNA of 30 transgender men and women who had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, they found what they described as 21 “rare” variants in 19 genes, in pathways in the brain associated with the sex hormone estrogen. The pathways are thought to be important for shaping whether the brain is masculine or feminine. Before and after birth, the genes help to decide when estrogen is released, which contributes to masculinization of the brain, the researchers explained in their paper published in the journal Scientific Reports. Boris Johnson ‘drops plans to let people change legal gender without medical diagnosis’ – The Independent Boris Johnson is set to scrap plans to allow people to change their legal gender by “self-identifying” as a different sex, it has been reported. Measures drawn up under Theresa May’s government to enable transgender people change their birth certificate without a medical diagnosis have been ditched by Mr Johnson’s No 10 team, according to The Sunday Times. The Independent – Australian researchers have identified a significant link between a gene involved in testosterone action and male-to-female transsexualism – Terry Reed from the Gender Identity Research and Education Society said she was convinced of a biological basis to transsexualism. This study appears to reinforce earlier studies which have indicated that, in some trans people, there may be a genetic trigger to the development of atypical gender identity'(see research link below). However, it may be just one of several routes and, although it seems extremely likely that a biological element will always be present in the etiology of transsexualism, it’s unlikely that developmental pathways will be the same in all individuals’. – June 17, 2008, NCTE Applauds the AMA Call for Removal of Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients – The American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution yesterday calling for public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder as recommended by the patient’s physician. The declaration, known as Resolution 122 removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients, was passed by the House of Delegates – Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). Doctors and patients, not insurance companies, should be making those choices. We are so glad that the AMA has taken a leadership role against the rampant discrimination that transgender people have faced for so many years in receiving appropriate medical care and equitable insurance coverage, health insurance coverage has been made into a prominent national issue recently thanks in part to a three-year campaign by the AMA.NCTE has prioritized ending health insurance discrimination against transgender people” RESOLUTION 122 Subject: (WPATH) is the leading international, interdisciplinary professional organization devoted to the understanding and treatment of gender identity disorders, and has established internationally accepted Standards of Care for providing medical treatment of people with GID, including mental health care, hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery, which are designed to promote the health and welfare of persons with GID and are recognized within the medical community to be the standard of care for treating people with GID; and Whereas, An established body of medical research demonstrates the effectiveness and medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery as forms of therapeutic treatment for many people diagnosed with GID Health insurance coverage has been made into prominent national issue recently thanks in part to a three year campaign by the AMA. NCTE has prioritized ending health insurance discrimination against transgender people. August 2011 – Excellent NEWS – The VA system recently received a directive that transgendered veterans receive appropriate treatment (including hormone replacement and even surgery).Boris Johnson ‘drops plans to let people change legal gender without medical diagnosis’ – t