The Family First political party has announced its opposition to claimed lobbying by plastic surgeons to have sex change operations publicly funded.
The party’s lead Queensland Senate candidate at the upcoming federal election, Katie Lush said she was deeply sympathetic towards people “who feel uncomfortable with their biological gender,“ but said they should pay for surgery themselves.
“The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons has applied for ’surgical procedures for gender affirmation in adults with gender incongruence’ to be listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule.
“Australia’s health budget is under enormous pressure.
She said the application was “laced with contested ideological terminology.“
“The use of phrases like ‘assigned sex’ imply that midwives, doctors, mums and dads are wrong to assume the gender of the babies they deliver and record this on birth certificates.
She said the application estimated the cost to Medicare of “masculinising chest surgery” – which is code for removing the healthy breasts from a woman – is estimated to be $1335.70.
Other forms of surgery include elective hysterectomies, oophorectomies (removal of ovaries), removal of penises, construction of fake testicles and fake penises.
The submission says taxpayer-funded sex change surgeries are needed because a survey shows of 1466 transgender and gender diverse people living in Australia, 62 per cent had suicidal ideation and 10 per cent attempted suicide.
But Ms Lush said research indicated the suicide mortality rate was significantly higher after such operations.
“Family First believes people struggling with gender identity need psychological and pastoral care, not taxpayer-funded sex change operations which disfigure them for life.“
