Gender dysphoria covered by disability law, court rules

Source: Associated Press

Gender dysphoria covered by disability law, court rules

By DENISE LAVOIE
August 24, 2022

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal ruling that gender dysphoria is covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act could help block conservative political efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming care, advocates and experts say.

A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week became the first federal appellate court in the country to find that the 1990 landmark federal law protects transgender people who experience anguish and other symptoms as a result of the disparity between their assigned sex and their gender identity.

The ruling could become a powerful tool to challenge legislation restricting access to medical care and other accommodations for transgender people, including employment and government benefits, advocates said.

“It’s a very important and positive ruling to increase people’s access to gender-affirming care,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/health-richmond-gender-identity-gay-rights-government-and-politics-24a5b820e2176054177428e5eee49b50