US Tax Board Rules Gender Reassignment is Tax Deductible

From the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) comes word that the US Tax Board has found in favor of New England native, Rhiannon O’Donnabhain, a trans woman who underwent gender reassignment therapy and surgery in 2001 and claimed a tax deduction for those medical expenses on her tax return. Of the over $25,000 O'Donnabhain paid of out of pocket, she only claimed the allowable $5000.

O'Donnabhain received her tax refund, in June of '02 but was audited later that year and was told that "cosmetic surgery" was not tax deductible and ordered to repay the $5000.

After many years of many appeals, with the help of GLAD, O'Donnabhain can now declare victory.

From GLAD's press release:

“This decision treats Rhiannon O’Donnabhain the way she deserves to be treated—like any hard-working American taxpayer with medical expenses,” said Karen Loewy, senior staff attorney with Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), which represented Ms. O’Donnabhain.

“From the start, this has been a no-brainer.  Every mainstream medical authority from the American Psychiatric Association to the National Institutes of Health recognize the legitimacy of providing medical care for transgender people.  Dismissing these medical expenses as illegitimate and not deductible was discrimination, pure and simple.”

In an opinion reviewed by the full bench, the United States Tax Court affirmed that medical treatments for GID, including surgery and hormone therapy, are deductible medical expenses.  Moreover, the Court stated that the IRS’s position that such treatment is cosmetic in nature “is at best a superficial characterization of the circumstances that is thoroughly rebutted by the medical evidence.”

“I’m overjoyed, not only for me, but for other transgender people,” said Ms. O’Donnabhain.  “We deserve respect, equal treatment for our medical care, and fair treatment by our government.”

We may still have a long way to go as a community when it comes to fully accepting and understanding our trans brothers and sisters, but one thing we can do is celebrate every victory as a community. This victory is especially sweet because it's a victory over the IRS. Most importantly, though, is that it's a victory for fairness in the way the federal government treats Trans-Americans.

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Gene Discovery Could Aid in Gender Reassignment

PinkNews reports today that researchers have discovered the gene responsible for gender development. Research in mice shows that gender may not be fixed at birth. Switching off the gene in transgendered people could one day mean an end to conventional hormone therapy.

(From PinkNews)
"Researchers at the National Institute for Medical Research discovered that just one gene prevents females from developing male physical characteristics such as facial hair and testes.

The study in adult mice showed that when the gene, known as FOXL2, was artificially switched off, the ovaries of female mice began developing into testes and they produced male amounts of testosterone."

The research shows that while trans men would not be able to produce sperm, switching off the FOXL2 gene could mean an end to a lifetime of hormone treatment.

This Queer Little Planet: Don't mess with an Indian transwoman

From Thaindian.com:

Chennai transgenders learning karate for self-defense

Chennai, Oct. 28 (ANI): Many transgenders in Chennai are undergoing karate training to improve their self-confidence and health so that they can land a good job.

In the six-day training session apart from karate, transgenders are also undergo other kinds of physical strength exercise like yoga, meditation and a personality development session.

Under the programme, ‘The Kara’ Gender Capsule’, some 100 odd members of transgender community are being trained by Reshma Sharma, a qualified instructor.

“This is just not karate or meditation or yoga. This is a complete rehabilitation camp. Out of 100 people who have undergone training, we are getting jobs for ten people. They are going to be appointed as security officers in four five-star hotels and six corporate organisations,” Sharma said.

“The training was just part of it, preparing them to face the jobs ahead since they are not used to doing working. They are used to doing only begging and sex work. So, this is a compete rehabilitation programme. I hope it will bring in a lot of change in not only this group but a lot of transgenders,” she added.

Transgenders undergoing the training say it will help them lead a better and respectable life in society.
“We (transgenders) face a lot of problems. We are not doing any kind of jobs despite being educated. A number of transgenders are involved in sex work, driven by their circumstances. At times, we are attacked by violent and rowdy people, this karate training will help us to defend ourselves,” said Selvi, a transgender undergoing the karate training.

The training is jointly organized by Dojo Chakra and Mythri Educational and Charitable Trust with the assistance of the Tamil Nadu Aids Control Society and the G7 Group of companies. (AN)