Thread: Taxpayer-funded sex-reassignment surgery for murderer

How much sex are you supposed to be having in jail? How many people are you supposed to be making "friends" with? Seriously, why should her sex matter At All in Jail? Let her pay for gender reassignment when people let her out. It's insane that we pretend like therapy and all the money we pay towards fixing an individuals tendency to steal, rape, and murder is going to help them, but we act like therapy AND hormones aren't enough for them to be OK with the freaking gender they were born with?

Originally Posted by kris_w

I think my main objection is that the procedure is essentially an elective surgery.

He feels he is a woman. Ok fine. But, why is the expensive surgery necessary?? Nice, sure, but it isn't medically necessary. Would they just to the genital portion or the breast augment as well? I just have a hard time justifying the cost from the taxpayers purse, when it isn't truly a medical need. Diabetes med, blood pressure meds, anti-psychotic meds are all necessary. But, I don't think plastic surgery is.

This is what I don't know, and why I could go either way on this one. I don't know if doctors who treat GID consider plastic surgery a medical necessity or not. Here is why I think it could be: from what I know of GID, the thought process is that the brain is "hardwired" to identify as one gender, but the body doesn't match, therefore with true cases of GID you can't just convince the brain to accept the body, which is why surgery might be the only option to resolve it. I'm probably not explaining that very well.

I definitely understand where you are coming from, and agree that in general elective plastic surgery just to make someone feel better should not be an option (like if it was a woman who was depressed because she wanted bigger breasts, would we pay for a breast augmentation? That seems ridiculous!) So I totally take your point. I just think maybe something like this is less cut and dried than that.

He's 57 Alissa.

Oh man. I just read clicked the link, and then saw she's also suing for electrolysis. THAT certainly isn't a medical neccessity (like, join the club, sister, I'd like to have electrolysis too...) LOL I'm certain this is not objective or based on anything but my own feelings, but I think the electrolysis thing just swayed me to decide no, she shouldn't get the surgery on the tax payer dime. I can't explain why that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me, it just was. Electrolysis....sheesh!

I know this is going to come as a shock, but I agree with Alyssa on this one.

I think a person is a person with basic rights whether they are still in the womb, very old and terminally ill, or in jail. I do not know all of the specifics of this person, but I have heard of people who truly do have gender issues. Such as having both a penis and breasts. I can understand needing/wanting that fixed. Now if there is not clear cut medical reasons to have it fixed (such as just identifying more with one gender), then I would think they would not be able to wait until they are out.

I am just not of the opinion that a person that is in jail should not get medical care. All life has value to me.

It says life sentence, so I assume he's not getting out. At least thats what it SHOULD mean. I don't think that someone in prison should receive better treatment than someone on Medicare. Medicare does not pay for sex reassignment surgery.

Originally Posted by GloriaInTX

It says life sentence, so I assume he's not getting out. At least thats what it SHOULD mean. I don't think that someone in prison should receive better treatment than someone on Medicare. Medicare does not pay for sex reassignment surgery.

I would think that if Medicare did not deem it a true medical need, that prison would not either. My point is that just because someone is in prison, does not mean they are sub-human.

Originally Posted by AlyssaEimers

I would think that if Medicare did not deem it a true medical need, that prison would not either. My point is that just because someone is in prison, does not mean they are sub-human.

Of course they aren't sub-human, but that doesn't mean this surgery should be paid for.

I know someone who has gone through this. The reason it is sometimes paid for is the theoretical increased risk of suicide without it. However, there isn't much research on the subject, so opinion on whether the treatments (medications, hormone therapy, counseling, multiple surgeries, electrolysis, etc) should be paid for and to what degree varies widely.

I'm having a hard time with this one. I agree with Alissa that behavioral health needs need to be met too. I have a hard time with this surgery since it's not covered by Medicaid I don't believe and it's certainly not covered by private insurance unless an employer pays extra for the rider. Since he broke the law and killed someone, I don't think I support him/her getting something that law abiding residents can't generally get unless they pay for it.

Originally Posted by Alissa_Sal

Well at that point you could as easily say "Why bother treating Prisoner X's high blood pressure?" He's a killer!

Kris - True enough that someone will be uncomfortable no matter where he is.

There is just a big difference between treating emergent life threatening issues and things like this. Sorry if i had a way to pull out my percent of tax paid money it would already have bern done.