Members of WPATH ( World Professional Association for Transgender Health ) met at the J.W Marriott, 151 W. Adams St., on Aug. 24.
This global organization, the only organization uniting healthcare professionals, in seeking raised awareness and better option for transgender health care, celebrated the continued success of the seventh edition of the Standards of Care the organization publishes. These standards provide guidelines for transgender and transsexual healthcare worldwide, and are available through training programs online and through a recently developed free smartphone app.
This evening's purpose was raising money to translate the Standards of Care into Hindi and Arabic. As Dr. Eli Coleman, a former president of WPATH, explained, the standards have been translated into 10 different languages, from Spanish to Chinese to Norwegian, giving about 30 percent of the world's population access. However, he described the situation in India particularly as "abysmal," with doctors unaware of the Standards and individuals resorting to performing gender-confirming surgery themselves.
The Standard's 7th edition represents a "big change", Coleman said. He cited recent scientific research guided recommendations for treatment, including the acceptance of the informed consent model and a better framework for dealing with younger patients. He believes these Standards led to of insurance companies and Medicare being more likely to cover treatment such as hormones, surgery and psychotherapy for trans patients. Gail Knudson, WPATH's president-elect, said that the Standards are "overwhelmingly supported by the community and practitioners."
Information about donating to Hindi and Arabic Standards of Care Translation Funds can be found on www.wpath.org .