WIRED Staff

Their Sex Changes, Your Taxpayer Dollars

The Canadian province of Ontario is debating whether it should cover sex-change operations. It used to before 1998, but then stopped the coverage. Most recently, something called a Human Rights Tribunal — doesn’t "tribunal" sound too negative to be associated with "human rights"? — told the government to pay for few operations that were "interrupted" […]

The Canadian province of Ontario is debating whether it should cover sex-change operations. It used to before 1998, but then stopped the coverage.

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Most recently, something called a Human Rights Tribunal -- doesn't "tribunal" sound too negative to be associated with "human rights"? -- told the government to pay for few operations that were "interrupted" by the cancellation. But that hasn't become precedent, apparently.

Even when the province covered sex-change operations, they say itonly covered a handful a year and only after a stringent approvalprocess.

"It's really important to realize this is a very insignificant costto respect the human rights and human dignity of a small population inOntario," said Susan Gapka, chair of the Toronto-based Trans HealthLobby Group.

The operation is covered in other provinces, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Newfoundland, she said.

In the U.S., the city of San Francisco covers sex-change operations for city workers.

Fighting to switch [CBCnews)