Gender-affirming surgeries could be made more accessible to Australians if a proposal to cover them under Medicare is approved. The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons has lodged an application for gender-affirming procedures, including double mastectomy, phalloplasty, orchiectomy and vaginoplasty, to be eligible for financial rebates. The Medical Services Advisory Commission (MSAC) first reviewed the proposal in 2023, noting a lack of data about outcomes for Australians but acknowledging the need for such services. A final recommendation will follow further research by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. For many transgender Australians, the cost of surgery is a major barrier.…
Author: Hal Zika
Two in ten people in Australia identify as trans or gender diverse, but the representation for older demographics is minimal. President of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Gender Alliance (ISGA) Claire Murphy experienced female leanings from a young age, but didn’t identify as transgender until her late 40s. “I’d had these feelings from when I was about 8 or 9, but I just didn’t have a word for it.” Ms Murphy said. “Ended up losing myself, getting married. Even when I was married I sort of said to my partner, before we had a child, “I think I have these feelings, I…