According to the Washington Post, Medicare will now cover sex change surgeries. I am not sure what to say about this, frankly. There are really two separate questions at work. First, should people have the freedom to have sex change operations? Second, do we, as a society, and as taxpayers, have an obligation to facilitate that choice?

The freedom to have the procedure seems obvious. I am not sure anyone seriously challenges this. The facilitation is a different issue altogether. Should we, as taxpayers, fund the procedure? To a degree, Medicare’s decision means that some people have a “right” to this procedure, not simply the freedom to pursue it on their own and at their own expense. I would like to say something concrete about this, but I do not know enough about the mental health issues to have an opinion about the necessity of the surgery.

Kevin Williamson, at National Review Online, takes a harsh approach to the question. It is worth reading because it is provocative.

(One other note–Cedarville alumna, and former student of mine, Leanna Baumer, who currently works for the Family Research Council, was quoted in the Washington Post article. Well done, Leanna!)