My name is Tennille Fleming, i'm LGBTQI+ a teen from Australia looking to make a change for trans and non-binary folks who are currently suffering at the hands of gender dysphoria. Seeing my friends and family ache in emotional toil has been heartbreaking to watch and I know too many of us have seen or been in similar situations. This is why i'm asking for your help. 

Too many LGBTQI+ kids and adults have and are suffering right now as access to affordable gender affirming surgeries are limited. This has lead them to attempt to, or succeed in ending their life. In fact according to Trans Pathways survey, which examined the mental health of trans young people, found almost 80% (aged 14-25 years) had self-harmed and staggering 48% had attempted suicide.

My question is why do we have hormone blockers, testosterone and oestrogen partially paid for by the government, but surgery isn't covered. Many countries cover this with public healthcare including The UK, Canada and New Zealand to name a few.

According to LGBTIhealth.org for some transgender people, access to medical interventions to affirm their gender of identity (eg realignment surgery, hormones) represents, quite literally, a matter of life or death. There are a range of barriers to accessing such medical interventions, including approval from psychiatrists and high financial costs (with simultaneously reduced economic opportunities). (Grant et al, 2010).

I believe it's important and necessary for medicare to cover at least a portion of the cost. Every trans person deserves an equal opportunity to access healthcare that is affordable and sometimes can be life or death. Feeling like yourself shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.