The mission of this petition is to make a difference in how the VA health system advocates for their LGBT Veterans. Although the military has taken a big step into acknowledging same-sex marriages in August of 2013, this still does not provide equal opportunity for all service members. The VA has certain requirements that need to be met in order for certain special conditions- like infertility- be approved for treatment. Here are the requirements: 

• The veteran must be legally married
• The veteran must have a service-connected condition causing infertility
• The veteran or spouse must have an intact uterus and at least one functioning ovary.
• The veteran or spouse must be able to produce sperm

The Department of Veterans Affairs have failed to mention is that the access for infertility treatment is only available to those who are in a man-to-woman relationship. They do not have any options or accommodations for those who are in a same-sex marriage. It is a disregard to LGBT Veterans who have experienced an infertility service-connected condition and still want to conceive. Equal opportunity is meant to be adhered in the work place as well as in the health system. With cases like infertility, it would be instrumental if the VA made some accommodations to their requirements so that all married veterans- regardless of sexual orientation- be able to conceive. 

Here are my suggested changes:

Same-sex married male veterans with service connected infertility conditions should be allowed to provide their own surrogate of choice out-of-pocket. 

Same-sex married female veterans with service connected infertility conditions should be allowed to provide viable sperm of their choice out-of-pocket, as well as the utilization of sperm bank freezers.

With your signature, we can make a change to all Veterans who have experienced a refusal for treatment due to their sexual orientation. My wife, Angelica Joseph, will be impacted too. Even with stage 4 Endometriosis, a surgically removed ovary and long-term dependency on medications for the pain- all service connected, the Department of Veterans Affairs refuses to provide fertility treatment because her spouse is not a male. She has met all requirements except that her spouse has to be able to produce sperm. Even after pleading with the VA that we can provide our own sperm out-of-pocket, fertility treatments like IVF or IUI are unavailable to us as well as veterans like us. 

Your signature is a big part in making a change for all veterans who have lost hope in conceiving or who have made dents in debt trying to conceive out-of-pocket. Not all veterans have the financial means to conceive through IVF or IUI treatments in fertility clinics. 

Thank you for reading and signing! May our voices be heard!