4/11/13

UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey On Fallon Fox "You can Cut Your Pecker Off..but its still not fair."

Women's UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey recent words about Fallen Fox are just as problematic as Matt Mitrione's were.

Rousey told The NY Post she’s "researched the topic extensively and has come to an informed opinion"..(about transsexualism).

Rousey says if Fallon Fox should get into a position to fight her she would but only if the UFC wanted her to because “she can try hormones, chop her pecker off, but it’s still the same bone structure a man has,” Rousey told The Post. “It’s an advantage. I don’t think it’s fair.”

Rousey told the USA Today she has competed in judo against hermaphroditic athletes, she had no qualms about it because "that was something they didn't choose." Fox, on the other hand, is a different case.

"It's not something that happened to her," Rousey said. "It was a decision she made. She should be aware in her career after that, it's going to be an arduous path. I don't know why she's surprised by that. It's going to draw a lot of emotions."

For the record no one has ever made a 'choice' to be transgender. Transitioning and the following procedures are not optional to the ones who undertake them. True, not everyone needs all of the operations, hormones or therapy. What a persons needs depends on that person's innate gender expression.

And what if Fallon Fox should over come all odds and become the next Bantamweight UFC Champion? Rousey's transphobia becomes apparent as said that would be "...a very socially difficult situation.”

Note to the NY Post and USA Today: Journalist ethics compel us to link to our articles once we have published homophobic, transphobic or racial defamation verbatim. Publishing them over and over only amplifies the pain to the offended party, re-victimizing Fallon Fox.



California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Reminds Insurers Not to Exclude SRS

The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has sent a letter instructing insurers to review their policies and identify and correct any exclusionary language that would prohibit a transgender person from similar procedures available to non transgender persons.

These procedures include transitional costs and Sexual Reassignment surgery. Insurers have 90 days to submit the corrections for review.

Source: Transgender Law Center "The DMHC directive applies to HMOs and PPOs regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care. In 2012, the Department of Insurance issued non-discrimination regulations with similar protections for health insurance regulated by the Department of Insurance. Combined, this means that all California health plans and insurers cannot arbitrarily deny medically necessary services provided to other policy holders or members simply because the patient is transgender.

The newly issued DMHC letter instructs health plans to revise current plan documents to remove exclusions and limitations related to gender transition. For transgender people, how and when they transition is typically a private decision made with their doctor. The American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians have all deemed transition-related care to be medically necessary for transgender patients."


Individuals with questions about today’s announcement or other questions about their health coverage should contact the Department of Managed Health Care’s Help Center at 1-888-466-2219 / http://www.HealthHelp.ca.gov.

The California Department of Insurance also offers consumer assistance at 800-927-HELP / http://www.insurance.ca.gov/contact-us/

Transgender Californian’s who experience discrimination or have legal questions should contact Transgender Law Center at 417.865.0176 x306/ http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org

For more information or interview requests please contact Mark Snyder, Communications Manager, 415.865.0176 x310, .mark@transgenderlawcenter.org

Transgender Law Center works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression. http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org