Transgender kids: Painful quest to be who they are

By Madison Park, CNN updated 10:34 AM EST, Tue September 27, 2011 Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com

Gender identity: A change in childhood
• Transgender children feel a disconnect between their biology and gender
• Some children said they felt uncomfortable with their assigned gender as early as they could remember
• Not all gender nonconforming behavior for kids mean they will become transgender
• Hormone treatments exist to help kids transition to the opposite gender

Berkeley, California (CNN) -- One of the first things Thomas Lobel told his parents was that they were wrong.

The 3-year-old had learned sign language because he had apraxia, a speech impediment that hindered his ability to talk. The toddler pointed to himself and signed, "I am a girl."

"Oh look, he's confused," his parents said. Maybe he mixed up the signs for boy and girl. So they signed back. "No, no. Thomas is a boy."

But the toddler shook his head. "I am a girl," he signed back emphatically.
Regardless of the fact he was physically male, Thomas has always maintained that he is a girl. When teased at school about being quiet and liking dolls, Thomas would repeat his simple response, "I am a girl."
Thomas, now 11, goes by the name of Tammy, wears dresses to school and lives as a girl.

Her parents have been accused by family, friends and others of being reckless, causing their youngest child permanent damage by allowing her to live as a girl.

When children insist that their gender doesn't match their body, it can trigger a confusing, painful odyssey for the family. And most of the time, these families face isolating experiences trying to decide what is best for their kids, especially because transgender issues are viewed as mysterious, and loaded with stigma and judgment.

Transgender children experience a disconnect between their sex, which is anatomy, and their gender, which includes behaviors, roles and activities. In Thomas' case, he has a male body, but he prefers female things likes skirts and dolls, rather than pants and trucks.

Gender identity often gets confused with sexual orientation. The difference is "gender identity is who you are and sexual orientation is who you want to have sex with," said Dr. Johanna Olson, professor of clinical pediatrics at University of Southern California, who treats transgender children.

When talking about young kids around age 3, they're probably not interested in sexual orientation, she said. But experts say some children look like they will be transgender in early childhood, and turn out gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Gender nonconformity is not a disorder, group says

There is little consistent advice for parents, because robust data and studies about transgender children are rare. The rates of people who are transgender vary from 1 in 30,000 to 1 in 1,000, depending on various international studies.

Like Tammy, some children as young as 3, show early signs of gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder, mental health experts who work with transgender children estimate. These children are not intersex -- they do no have a physical disorder or malformation of their sexual organs. The gender issue exists in the brain, though whether it's psychological or physiological is debated by experts.

One of the most recognizable transgender celebrities is Chaz Bono, who currently competes on "Dancing with the Stars." Born female to entertainers Sonny and Cher, Bono underwent a transition to become a man in his 40s. He wrote in his book "Transition" that even in his childhood, he had been "aware of a part of me that did not fit."

Many transgender kids report feeling discomfort with their gender as early as they can remember.

Proud to be 'Born This Way'

Mario, a 14-year-old Californian who asked his full name not be used, was born female. He dresses and acts like a boy, because, he said, since he was 2 years old, he never genuinely felt like a girl.

"I feel uncomfortable in female clothes," said Mario. "I feel like why should I wear this when it's not who I am? Why should I be this fake person?"

But when a child starts identifying with the opposite gender, there is no way to determine whether it's temporary or likely to become permanent.
"It's important to acknowledge the signs of gender dysphoria, especially for children," said Eli Coleman, who chaired a committee to update treatment guidelines for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, an international medical group meeting this week in Atlanta, Georgia. "By not addressing it, it could be really more damaging for the child than not."

"It's a very difficult area and there are a lot of children who have gender nonconformity. They will simply grow out of that. Many of them later on identify as gay or lesbian, rather than transgender."

The American Psychological Association warns that "It is not helpful to force the child to act in a more gender-conforming way." When they're forced to conform, some children spiral into depression, behavioral problems and even suicidal thoughts.

Since age 3, Thomas Lobel has told his parents that he is a girl. The journey of gender

Thomas Lobel's metamorphosis can be told in pictures.

After his parents, Pauline Moreno and Debra Lobel, adopted Thomas at age 2, they observed that he was aloof. Shy and freckle-faced, he usually sat in a corner reading a book.

Unlike his two older brothers who were boisterous, athletic and masculine, Thomas was unusually quiet. Because of his speech impediment, he had to go to special education. Despite developing better speech skills, he didn't want to engage in conversation or socialize.

"He seemed so depressed and unhappy all the time," Lobel said. "He didn't enjoy playing. He sat there all the time, not interacting with anybody. He seemed really lonely."

In photos, Thomas appears small with a clenched smile and a glazed and distant look in his eyes.

Throughout his childhood, Thomas wanted to read Wonder Woman comics rather than Superman, wear rhinestone-studded hairbands instead of baseball caps and play with dolls rather than action figures. And, his parents said, he kept insisting he was a girl.

His personality changed from a very sad kid who sat still... to a very happy little girl who was thrilled to be alive.

His situation worsened when Thomas told his parents he wanted to cut off his penis. His parents tried to rationalize with him, warning him that he could bleed to death. But his request was a signal to them that this was serious and required professional help.

After seeing therapists and psychiatrists, the mental health specialists confirmed what Thomas had been saying all along. At age 7, he had gender identity disorder.

The diagnosis was hard for Moreno and Lobel to accept.

"The fact that she's transgender gives her a harder road ahead, an absolute harder road," Moreno said.

They have been accused of terrible parenting by friends, family and others, that "we're pushing her to do this. I'm a lesbian. My partner is a lesbian. That suddenly falls into the fold: 'Oh, you want her to be part of the lifestyle you guys live,' " Moreno said.

But that couldn't be further from the truth, they said. People don't understand how a hurting child can break a parent's heart.

"No parent wants to be in this situation," said Lisa Kenney, managing director of Gender Spectrum, a conference for families of gender nonconforming children. "Nobody had a child and imagined this was what would happen."

Transgender kids do not come from lax parenting where adults "roll over" to their kids' whims, said Olson, who treats transgender children.

"The parents are tortured by it," she said. "These are not easy decisions. Parents go through a long process going through this."

Moreno and Lobel allowed their child pick his own clothes at age 8. Thomas chose girl's clothing and also picked four bras. Then, Thomas wanted to change his name to Tammy and use a female pronoun. This is called social transitioning and can include new hairstyles, wardrobe. Aside from mental health therapy, this stage involves no medical interventions. Social transitioning is completely reversible, said Olson, a gender identity specialist.

Every step of the way, her parents told Tammy, "If at any time you want to go back to your boy's clothes, you can go back to Thomas. It's OK." Tammy has declined every time.

She continues to see therapists.

Tammy's room is painted bright golden yellow, decorated with stuffed animals and cluttered with pink glittery tennis shoes. At home, Tammy dances through the hallway, twirling in her pink flower dress.

"As soon as we let him put on a dress, his personality changed from a very sad kid who sat still, didn't do much of anything to a very happy little girl who was thrilled to be alive," Moreno said.

'I am transgender, and I want my voice to be heard'
The hormone question

This summer, Tammy began the next phase of transition, taking hormone-blocking drugs. This controversial medical treatment prevents children from experiencing puberty.

Girls who feel more like boys take hormone-suppressing medications so they will not develop breasts and start menstruating. Boys who identify as girls can take blockers to avoid developing broad shoulders, deep voice and facial hair. The drugs put their puberty on pause, so they can figure out whether to transition genders.

The hormone blockers are also reversible, because once a child stops taking the drugs, the natural puberty begins, said Dr. Stephen Rosenthal, pediatric endocrinologist at UC San Francisco.

But if the child wants to transition to the other gender, he or she can take testosterone or estrogen hormone treatment to go through the puberty of the opposite gender.

This transgender hormone therapy for children is relatively new in the United States after a gender clinic opened in Boston in 2007. Programs for transgender children exist in cities including Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco. The kids are treated by pediatric endocrinologists after long evaluations by mental health professionals.

No statistics exist on the number of transgender children taking such medical treatments.

Medical practitioners have to be careful with children with gender identity issues, said Dr. Kenneth Zucker, head of the Gender Identity Service in the Child, Youth, and Family Program and professor at the University of Toronto. Giving children hormone blockers to kids before the age of 13 is too early, he said.

Zucker conducted a study following 109 boys who had gender identity disorder between the ages of 3 and 12. Researchers followed up at the mean age of 20 and found 12% of these boys continued to want to change genders.
"The vast majority of children lose their desire to be of the other gender later," he said. "So what that means is that one should be very cautious in assuming say that a 6-year-old who has strong desire to be of the other gender will feel that way 10 years later."

All of this leads to unsettling answers for families trying to understand their children. No one knows whether a child's gender dysphoria will continue forever or if it is temporary.

The unsatisfying answer repeated by experts is that only time will tell.
Despite the murky science and social stigma that confound adults, Mario, who has lived as a boy since fourth grade, has a simple answer.

"Don't change for nobody else," he said. "Just be you and be happy."
http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/27/health/transgender-kids/?hpt=he_c1

National Latino Aids Awareness Day Oct. 15, 2011

National Latino Aids Awareness Day is Oct. 15, 2011! You can participate in this important community awareness project by organizing, supporting and participating in events in your community.
NLAAD IS LESS THAN 1 MONTH AWAY!

NLAAD 2011 CAMPAIGN PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION
• To register as a participant, visit www.nlaad.org
• By registering you will receive up-to-date information about the campaign
• You will be listed as a participant on the NLAAD website
• ALL participating organizations are required to register before you add your NLAAD event(s) and so that you can request NLAAD campaign materials and supplies
• Please keep in mind that you must register each year, so that your past registrations will not transfer

NLAAD EVENT REGISTRATION
• We would love to know what you are planning in commemoration of NLAAD!
• Register your event(s) at www.nlaad.org
• Log in with your user name and password, and look for NLAAD Events tab on the top right hand side of the page
• If you are having multiple events, please register EACH event and list each SEPARATELY
• This gives us opportunity to also recognize the great efforts you are putting forward for NLAAD

Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com

It’s time to register for Creating Change 2012!

You want to build power and take action. Whether that means building a stronger movement for safer schools, or working for full equality for trans people, or better representation by our elected officials and full recognition of ALL our families. You want to create change!

This means you need to attend the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, our movement’s pre-eminent political and leadership conference. Registration is open now.

Join activists, allies and the Task Force at the Hilton Baltimore, January 25-29, 2012 for five days of skills-building, inspiration, celebration and fun!
Posted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com
What are you waiting for? Register now to join 3,000 folks putting their shoulders to the wheels of social and political change. See you in Baltimore, America’s Charm City.

Your Creating Change Team

ARC Receives New CDC Award to Reduce HIV Transmission in Central Ohio

Activities will focus on young gay/bisexual men of color

DAYTON, OH-A new grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at reducing HIV transmission in Central Ohio has just been awarded to AIDS Resource Center Ohio (ARC Ohio).

The multi-year grant will support the activities of the new Greater Columbus Mpowerment Project. The initiative's activities will focus on empowering young gay and bisexual men of color to reduce their sexual risk taking and establish healthy peer relationships.

Nearly 600 young gay and bisexual men of color will also be tested for HIV through the project. Those individuals who test positive will be linked to supportive counseling to help them access treatment and adopt strategies to reduce transmission of the virus, thus enhancing both individual and community health.

Recent data show that young men who have sex with men (MSM) of color are at particularly high and increasing risk of HIV infection. According to CDC estimates released in August, between 2006 and 2009, the annual number of new HIV infections increased 48 percent among young black MSM. Among Latinos, men who have sex with men are by far the most severely impacted, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all new infections. Nearly half of these infections among Latino MSM occurred in the youngest age group (aged 13-29). Transgender people are also severely affected by HIV. It is estimated that 28 percent of transgender people are HIV-infected.

"This grant is extraordinary news and a much-needed resource for HIV prevention in the Columbus area," states ARC Ohio Chief Executive Officer Bill Hardy.

Columbus has the highest rate of HIV in Ohio, and the 25th highest in the nation. Already, nearly 3,200 HIV-positive individuals are known to be living in Columbus, and another 600 are estimated to be infected, but not yet diagnosed. Based on health department data, it is estimated that every 25 hours someone in Central Ohio is newly-infected with HIV.

According to Ohio Department of Health data, of total living cases of HIV/AIDS in Franklin County, 2,601 are men, and 65.6% of those men are known to have acquired HIV infection through male-male sex, sometimes referred to in public health circles as Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). An additional 3% of Franklin County males living with HIV/AIDS report risk from male-male sex and sharing of drug injection equipment.

ARC Ohio has been a leading advocate for a public health approach to HIV/AIDS, one that directs scarce resources toward those most impacted. According to Hardy, "Gay and bisexual men still bear an enormously disproportionate burden of this epidemic. Two-thirds of all new HIV cases in Ohio are among this population, but less than a third of state HIV prevention dollars are allocated to HIV prevention programs specifically designed to reduce HIV among gay and bisexual men."

ARC Ohio Chief Operating Officer Peggy Anderson agrees, citing a recent federal study concluding that Men who have Sex with Men are 44 times more likely to be living with HIV infection than heterosexual men. Anderson will oversee the new project, which includes the establishment of a new Mpowerment Center in Columbus. The Center will function as both a central site to serve the needs of program youth, and as a hub for participant outreach activities. "In the Columbus region as across the nation, HIV is spreading most rapidly today among gay and bisexual youth of color," states Anderson. "This new program provides the critical funding needed to truly respond to the needs of these youth in our community."

Earlier this year, ARC Ohio released Two Steps Forward, One Step Back, a policy brief addressing the problem of inadequate funding for HIV prevention efforts to reach gay and bisexual men in Ohio. In addition to changes in funding priorities, increased funding for HIV prevention efforts overall; expanded utilization of evidence-based interventions in HIV prevention for MSM; and assurances that agencies receiving public HIV prevention funds are sensitive to, and inclusive of, the needs and experiences of gay and bisexual men.

The brief, which was endorsed by major local and statewide HIV/AIDS and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender organizations, also called upon state and local governments to ensure that HIV prevention efforts for gay and bisexual men receive an equitable share of public resources-one that corresponds to the continuing impact of HIV on gay and bisexual men.

Since July 1, AIDS Resource Center Ohio, the Columbus AIDS Task Force and the Ohio AIDS Coalition have merged to become Ohio's largest HIV/AIDS service, prevention education, and advocacy organization. With offices in Columbus, Dayton, Lima, Mansfield, Cleveland, Toledo, Athens, Chillicothe, and Newark, ARC Ohio will provide linkage to care, financial assistance and supportive services to more than 2,500 HIV-positive Ohioans in 2011. Thousands more will be reached with evidence-based prevention, HIV testing, and advocacy activities.

For more information, log on to www.arcohio.org.

A Call for Unity to Address HIV/AIDS among All Gay Males

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the National Latino AIDS Action Network (NLAAN) recognizes the fourth annual National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD). This day serves as a call to action for the urgent need to refocus attention on a community that has long been and continues to be disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic in the United States and around the world.

Data released in the peer-reviewed journal last month confirm that HIV incidence among gay men remains high, many HIV-infected gay men are unaware of their status, and minorities continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. The CDC estimates 48,100 new infections occurred in the U.S. in 2009, with gay and bisexual men remaining the population most severely impacted by HIV and the only population in which new HIV infections have been increasing steadily since the 1990s. Furthermore, NLAAN continues to be alarmed by the new estimates which identify Latino gay men as moving from the fourth to third most impacted population.

"Last month’s release of new HIV incidence estimates clearly indicates that our nation needs to reexamine and better understand the landscape of the HIV/AIDS epidemics among gay and bisexual men,” stated Patricia Canessa, Executive Director of Salud Latina and NLAAN Leadership Committee member. “Despite living in times of limited resources, we must strategically scale-up efforts that holistically address and support the lives of gay and bisexual men. We must view this time as an opportunity to have targeted discussions on the local impacts of prevention investments and how to maximize what we preserve to generate the most beneficial outcomes for gay men,” she further stated.

“We have a wealth of research that proves that treatment works to control HIV and that by diagnosing people earlier in their disease they have a stronger chance of living long, healthy lives,” noted Sergio Farfan, Co-Founder of the Louisiana Latino Health Coalition for HIV/AIDS Awareness and NLAAN Leadership Committee member. “However, we also know that Latino and Black communities are being diagnosed with AIDS within one year of testing positive due to late testing, low health literacy and lack of consistent health insurance. We must find solutions to change this reality, such as promoting routine HIV testing and timely linkage to and retention in care and treatment,” he concluded.

NLAAN strongly believes that the success of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (the Strategy) depends on the leadership of the community. We must sustain efforts aimed at building partnerships across sectors and racial lines, strengthening capacity of community service providers and enhancing the infrastructure of public health. Only through those efforts can we change the course of the HIV epidemic. We must collectively answer the Strategy’s call for a new era of collaboration and innovation.

“Communities must unite to effectively address HIV/AIDS,” stated Francisco Ruiz, Senior Manager at the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) and co-chair of NLAAN. “The epidemic does not silo itself. It impacts everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, and immigration status. History has proven that the strength of our nation is built on the foundation of diversity and inclusion. Let's make sure our HIV/AIDS efforts are guided by that same vision and that our diversified capabilities are key to a decisive victory over this epidemic,” he added.

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Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com

ABOUT NLAAN: The National Latino AIDS Action Network (NLAAN) was developed as a response to the HIV/AIDS crisis within Latino/Hispanic communities and is a participatory, collaborative and diverse network of community-based organizations, national organizations, state and local health departments, researchers and concerned individuals that identifies and prioritizes the key needs of Latinos regarding HIV/AIDS prevention, research and care and treatment. For more information on NLAAN, please visit us at www.latinoaidsagenda.org or www.facebook.com/NLAAN.

Nadler, Pelosi and 67 Members of Congress Urge Immigration Officials to Consider LGBT Family Ties in Deportation Cases

Reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 27, 2011
CONTACT: Ilan Kayatsky, 212-367-7350

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and lead sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act, was joined by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and 67 additional Members of Congress in pushing to protect LGBT binational families from unnecessary deportations. The 69 Members sent letters to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that LGBT family ties be considered in pending deportation cases involving binational same-sex couples.

“The recognition of LGBT family ties as a positive factor is a critical step forward in identifying key family and community ties to implement common-sense immigration enforcement,” wrote the Members. “We ask that you ensure that this recognition is reflected in the work of DHS and DOJ employees and the newly-established working group in implementing your priorities for immigration enforcement….Without specific guidance, it is unlikely that agency officers, agents, and attorneys making decisions about individual cases will be aware that LGBT family ties are a factor for consideration for exercising discretion in closing or not initiating removal proceedings.”

The Obama administration recently announced a concerted effort to prioritize immigration enforcement. Identification of high-priority deportation cases would be based on the June 17, 2011 prosecutorial discretion memo released by the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Morton. While that memo discusses the importance of recognizing family ties in analyzing immigration cases, it does not explicitly say that LGBT family ties, including those of spouses and partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, are to be included. The Obama administration also announced that a working group made up of officials with the departments of Homeland Security and Justice would be formed to review removal cases and prepare new guidance for the field on immigration enforcement.

The letters are attached as PDFs and included below:

September 27, 2011

The Honorable Janet Napolitano The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr. Secretary Attorney General
United States Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Justice
Washington, DC Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530

Dear Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Holder:

We applaud the August 18, 2011 announcement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to close many low-priority immigration deportation proceedings. We especially commend DHS for stating that it will consider the family ties of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a factor in determining cases that merit relief from deportation, including for gay and lesbian foreign nationals who are the spouses and partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. We write to you today with two requests that will further the enforcement of this important mandate.

The August 18 announcement made clear that the identification of high-priority deportation cases would be based on the June 17, 2011 prosecutorial discretion memorandum released by the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Morton, and explained that a DHS and Department of Justice (DOJ) interagency working group would be created to review removal cases and prepare guidance for the field. Director Morton’s memorandum identifies “Factors to Consider When Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion.” These factors include “the person’s ties and contributions to the community, including family relationships” and “whether the person has a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, child, or parent.” The memorandum does not, however, explicitly say that LGBT family ties, including those of spouses and partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, are to be included among the family relationships that weigh in favor of an exercise of discretion.

We ask that consideration of LGBT family ties be communicated in the guidance being prepared by the new DHS/DOJ working group. All field staff implementing the new policies in all relevant DHS and DOJ agencies must be made aware of this new consideration as they exercise discretion in deciding which new cases to place in removal proceedings and which current cases to close. Without specific guidance, it is unlikely that agency officers, agents, and attorneys making decisions about individual cases will be aware that LGBT family ties are a factor for consideration for exercising discretion in closing or not initiating removal proceedings.

Additionally, we ask that the working group include a member experienced in working with LGBT immigrants and their families to ensure that these factors are recognized and understood in the working group’s case-by-case review of all individuals currently in removal proceedings as well as its review of new cases placed in removal proceedings. The vulnerability of LGBT immigrants – the historical stigmatization of whom both within and outside the U.S. is well-documented – makes knowledgeable review a necessity.

The announcement on August 18 constitutes a major step forward in ensuring that immigration enforcement resources prioritize enhancing border security, national security, and public safety as well as in exercising discretion when warranted. The recognition of LGBT family ties as a positive factor is a critical step forward in identifying key family and community ties to implement common-sense immigration enforcement. We ask that you ensure that this recognition is reflected in the work of DHS and DOJ employees and the newly-established working group in implementing your priorities for immigration enforcement.

We appreciate your consideration of these two requests and look forward to working with you to address these important issues.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Jared Polis, David Cicilline, Gary Ackerman, Shelley Berkley, Howard Berman, Earl Blumenauer, Lois Capps, Michael Capuano, Andre Carson, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Joe Courtney, Joseph Crowley, Susan Davis, Diana DeGette, Michael Doyle, Eliot Engel, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Bob Filner, John Garamendi, Raul Grijalva, Luis Gutierrez, Alcee Hastings, Brian Higgins, James Himes, Maurice Hinchey, Rush Holt, Michael Honda, Steve Israel, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Hank Johnson, Rick Larsen, John Larson, Barbara Lee, Sander Levin, John Lewis, Zoe Lofgren, Carolyn Maloney, Doris Matsui, Jim McDermott, James McGovern, Gwen Moore, James Moran, Eleanor Holmes Norton, John Olver, Gary Peters, Chellie Pingree, Mike Quigley, Charles Rangel, Steven Rothman, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff, Jose Serrano, Adam Smith, Jackie Speier, Fortney Pete Stark, Edolphus Towns, Niki Tsongas, Nydia Velazquez, Henry Waxman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Peter Welch, Lynn Woolsey

Some background on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA):

• UAFA would add the term “permanent partner” to sections of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that apply to married heterosexual couples.
• “Permanent partner” is described as an adult who is in a committed, intimate relationship with another adult in “which both parties intend a lifelong commitment.”
• This legislation would afford equal immigration benefits to permanent partners as exist for married heterosexuals, and it would impose the same restrictions, enforcement standards and penalties as are currently in immigration law.
• Because the U.S. does not legally recognize gay and lesbian couples and their children as families, many same-sex binational couples are torn apart.
• Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) also introduced UAFA in the Senate.
• At least 25 countries currently allow residents to sponsor gay and lesbian permanent partners for legal immigration, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

HHS delivers guidance to state Medicaid agencies on states’ freedom and flexibility to offer financial protections to same-sex couples

HHS’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided guidance to state Medicaid agencies clarifying that they are able to offer same-sex couples many of the same financial and asset protections available to opposite-sex couples when a partner is entering a nursing home or care facility. In a letter sent today, CMS advised state agencies of their ability to ensure that same-sex partners can remain in shared homes without Medicaid liens being applied. The guidance also clarifies that states have the flexibility to protect same-sex partners under estate recovery and transfer of assets rules.
Posted at http://lgbthealth.webolutionary.com/
Reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com

View CMS’s letter to State Medicaid Agencies at http://www.cms.gov/SMDL/SMD/list.asp