Source NTCE: In a closely-watched case, the United States Tax Court overwhelmingly ruled on Tuesday in O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue that a transgender woman's medical expenses for hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery were medically necessary and therefore tax-deductible under Federal law. After considering extensive medical evidence and testimony from leading medical experts, the court rejected an interpretation of the law that would consider transgender people's medical treatment different than all other medically necessary treatment recommended by major medical and psychological organizations.
"Finally, we have recognition from the courts of what transgender people and our medical providers have known all along-that transition related care is absolutely necessary health care for the wellbeing of many transgender people," said Mara Keisling, the Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Being able to deduct a portion of costly medical treatments will make it more affordable for transgender people to follow through with the care their doctors prescribe. For the IRS to treat transgender people and non-transgender people differently was discrimination, plain and simple, and now that has ended."
The court's decision does not mean that all medical treatments and procedures associated with gender transition will be tax-deductible. Like all other medical treatments, deductibility will be based on the medical necessity of the treatment as determined by qualified medical providers in accordance with recognized clinical standards of care. The court recognized, as have the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association and many others, based on overwhelming medical evidence, that transition-related health care is non-cosmetic, medically necessary healthcare.
The case stems from a decision by the IRS to reject Rhiannon O'Donnabhain's deduction of her expenses for sex reassignment surgery in 2001 from her federal income tax. The case went to trial in 2007. Ms. O'Donnabhain was represented by the Transgender Rights Project of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).
NCTE applauds GLAD's groundbreaking and powerful work and perseverance to win this important victory, and thanks Rhiannon O'Donnabhain for her willingness to stand up and challenge the inequity of the IRS's policies. Her courage and determination will have an impact on the health of transgender people around our country for many years to come.
CONFERENCE CALL TONIGHT
Hear more about the case NCTE is joining GLAD in a community conference call GLAD is hosting tonight (Wednesday) February 3 at 6PM EST / 3PM PST. Attorneys who worked on the case will be on the call explain the case and its ramifications for transgender people. Call in information:
Toll Free Dial-In Number: 1-800-704-9804
Participant Code(s): 61898641#
Wednesday February 3
6:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
5:00 PM Central Time Zone
4:00 PM Mountain Time Zone
3:00 PM Pacific Time Zone
For more information visit transequality.org
2/3/10
2/2/10
Julie Bindel: The transmisogynist that Kills
Julie Bindel, a British feminist is the most heinous of transmisogynistic, transphobic woman to ever darken the pages of LGBT European culture. Bindel now wants to play the victim card having been uninvited from many of her former 
platforms because the protests of the truly victimized have finally begun to reach he ears of compassionate allies in the British LGBT community.
I have extremly liberal Gay and straight friends in Britain who make me recoil with their paternalistic comments when I post a feminist view defending the right of transgender woman to a fair and just life.
British men, it seems, feel I need their approval to be a outspoken and being a feminist transgender woman? Not acceptable. It's as if!
The differences in our cultures expectations of the treatment of transgender people is a cavernous divide, the Americans having crossed that bridge with UNITED ENDA and the British languishing with internal hemorrhaging, thanks to Julie Bindel's knife.
Julie Bindel has done the worst damage that anyone could have possibly done to transgender people and feminism as a whole. She has polarized gays and lesbians into different camps, having been nominated for a award by stonewall, the British Gay and lesbian advocacy organization.
Julie Bindel is the transmisogynist that kills.
Protest her? YES! Silence her like she has done for decades to countless helpless transgender victims? YES! Do I care if she feels like a victim for it? NO.
Silence Bindel.
platforms because the protests of the truly victimized have finally begun to reach he ears of compassionate allies in the British LGBT community.I have extremly liberal Gay and straight friends in Britain who make me recoil with their paternalistic comments when I post a feminist view defending the right of transgender woman to a fair and just life.
British men, it seems, feel I need their approval to be a outspoken and being a feminist transgender woman? Not acceptable. It's as if!
The differences in our cultures expectations of the treatment of transgender people is a cavernous divide, the Americans having crossed that bridge with UNITED ENDA and the British languishing with internal hemorrhaging, thanks to Julie Bindel's knife.
Julie Bindel has done the worst damage that anyone could have possibly done to transgender people and feminism as a whole. She has polarized gays and lesbians into different camps, having been nominated for a award by stonewall, the British Gay and lesbian advocacy organization.
Julie Bindel is the transmisogynist that kills.
Protest her? YES! Silence her like she has done for decades to countless helpless transgender victims? YES! Do I care if she feels like a victim for it? NO.
Silence Bindel.
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