San Diego State concedes to students request, allows ‘gender affirming therapy’ for those with gender dysphoria
At the request of its students, San Diego State University provides “gender affirming therapy” to students on its campus who identify as transgender, previously called gender dysphoria.
The public university’s Student Health Services offers the therapy, one of many university programs nationwide that cater to transgender student populations.
For instance, the University of Pennsylvania has instituted a “preferred name” policy while UC Berkeley offers medical services such as fertility preservation and laser hair removal through its student health care plan.
photo courtesy of LC.org
“San Diego State University is committed to the personal growth and academic success of all students,” the university said in a statement provided to The College Fix. “At the core of this commitment is the university’s pledge to diversity, inclusivity, and equity for all of our students regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”
The University of California, San Francisco’s Center of Excellence for Transgender Health lists gender affirming hormone therapy as the “primary” medical treatment for transgender individuals.
“Such treatment allows the acquisition of secondary sex characteristics more aligned with an individual’s gender identity,” the center’s website states.
San Diego State did not disclose to The Fix how many students have taken advantage of the therapy offered by the health center since it started offering the service last fall, and said prescriptions and medical needs beyond basic medical services are paid out of pocket by students who use the therapy.
A recent study found that most transgenders suffer many struggles including mental illness, self inflicting flaws and suicidal thoughts. Full analysis HERE.
The university has received a top score 5-star rating from pro-LGBTQ group Campus Pride on the non-profit’s ratings for “institutional commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, program and practice.”
Christopher Lujan, coordinator of the university’s Pride Center, praised the university’s decision to provide gender affirming therapy through Student Health Services.
“It’s great that students have a local easy access space to get those services” Lujan told The Daily Aztec. “The positives of doing (those services) here is that it’s an environment that’s familiar to students.”
