College is a time to find one’s true identity, and with AU’s new insurance policy all students finally have the capability to reach this goal.
AU became the first university in D.C. to cover transitional care and gender reassignment surgery, a tremendous step toward equality for the transgender community.
This dramatic, yet fantastic leap forward will create a more friendly and equal environment on AU’s campus for years to come.
Prospective students may now take a closer look at AU when deciding between similar universities. This change shows AU is dedicated to making an equal campus community for all students. Even if one is not transgender, prospective students may be encouraged by the fact that we care enough about this issue to turn it into policy.
Student Government deserves much of the credit for getting this policy passed. SG President Patrick Kelly and former SG President Sarah McBride worked tirelessly to sponsor and pass this new legislation in March, as The Eagle previously reported.
The one worrisome part of this transition is that it has potential to be undone. The student insurance policy is renegotiated every year based on student need. Therefore, if students are not using this policy it may not be included in the budget further down the road.
This poses a problem for many reasons. First, the process of transitional care can take more than a year in itself. There are medications, therapy and various other medical issues that go along with gender reassignment surgery. If a student with AU insurance decides to get the surgery and then the policy disappears next year, how will they pay for the rest of their medical needs?
Along with this, because the policy is so new, students may not take advantage of it in the first few years. The administration needs to understand that this policy is monumental, and with every new change people need time to get used to it and fully take advantage of its benefits.
However, students should not be too concerned about this policy disappearing. AU administration was very receptive to Kelly and McBride’s original idea and were enthusiastic about making this policy a reality. As long as students continue to support the legislation, the policy will stay.
We congratulate AU administration and SG for making this monumental change happen. AU is now, and hopefully forever, a more equal and open campus environment for all students. – E
edpage@theeagleonline.com
