-Caveat Lector- San Francisco may approve sex-change benefits By MARGIE MASON, Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (February 16, 2001 5:48 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - The city that symbolizes liberalism and sexual openness is about to extend its health insurance coverage to include sex-change operations for municipal employees. The Board of Supervisors and Mayor Willie Brown are expected to sign the measure within the next couple of weeks. It will extend up to $50,000 in benefits to city workers who want to switch their gender. San Francisco apparently would be the only governmental body in the nation to make sex-change benefits available. The issue was discussed in Oregon, but a commission decided against it in 1999. "I'm very pleased that we're doing it," board President Tom Ammiano said Friday. "We have a noticeable transgender population in San Francisco, and many are city employees." The benefits would be available starting July 1. The benefit would cover male-to-female surgery, which costs about $37,000, as well as female-to-male surgery, which runs about $77,000. It also would cover hormones and other procedures. Transgender advocates said the measure's symbolism is more valuable than the benefits. "I think it's really politically important to do that," said Susan Stryker, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society of Northern California. "Transgender rights are often considered as a joke: 'What are those wacky San Franciscans going to do next?"' Stryker, who had male-to-female surgery 10 years ago, said San Francisco's transgender community numbers about 15,000. The term transgender covers a broad range of categories including cross- dressers, transvestites, transsexuals and those born with characteristics of both sexes. Employees would have to work for the city at least one year before they would be eligible. People wanting sex-change surgery would have to pay 15 percent out of pocket if they use a doctor in the city's health network. If an out-of-network doctor is used, that goes up to 50 percent. ANOMALOUS IMAGES AND UFO FILES http://www.anomalous-images.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
