Al Jazeera America. How does That Effect LGBT People?

At first I was elated having used Al Jazeera often in posts. The network has proved itself to me for its unbiased worldly reporting. But then a twitter friend told me Al Jazeera is owned by the government of Qatar.

Qatar, a Muslim country living under Sharia law outlaws homosexuality. Transsexuality in the gulf state is problematic at best. As best as I can tell there seems to be a culture of don't ask if you can "pass" in Qatar . However if you are stopped by the police and they decide you don't pass all bets are off.

So does Al Jazeera report about LGBT issues as well as it does other news? Depends if you are viewing the Arabic channel which has no LGBT news or the English channel which has recently begun reporting LRBT stories.

Source: IGLHRC:Al Jazeera English regularly reports on gay issues. In recent months, its coverage included segments about the gruesome murders of close to 100 gay men by al Mahdi Shi'ite militias in Iraq in 2009, the killing of gay youths in a Tel Aviv club last summer, and India's court decision to decriminalize gay sex.

But Al Jazeera's Arabic network "is not interested in covering gay rights issues the way Al Jazeera English does," says Alizadeh. Comparing Al Jazeera Arabic with Al Jazeera English "is like comparing apples and oranges." Al Jazeera Arabic is geared towards a Middle Eastern audience and does not challenge cultural values or orthodox religion, he says.

Al Jazeera America. How does That Affect LGBT People?

Oregon Ruling Now Mandates Equal Transgender Insurance For Residents

SRS here we come! Yeeha! Giteup! Ondelay! We're moving to Oregon Woot W00T!

Wait wait!! Before you hitch up the mule and haul ass to the Beaver State....

You can get the medical care you need if the same or like procedure is provided for cisgender people by the insurer.

The bulletin specifically states that:

Health insurers must provide coverage and cannot deny coverage of treatments for transgender policy holders if the same treatments are covered for other policy holders. If an insurer covers breast reduction surgery to lessen back pain, the insurer could not deny breast reduction surgery for gender transition if the provider deemed the treatment medically necessary. If hormone therapy is covered for other policyholders, it cannot be denied for gender transition if determined to be medically necessary. On the other hand, an insurer could exclude all coverage of breast implants or penile implants. In short, Oregon law requires equality in treatment.

Health insurers may not have riders that categorically exclude all transgender patients.

The statewide mandate for coverage of mental health services must apply to transgender patients.

The designation of male or female may not be relevant to treatment (ie, a person cannot be denied an ovarian cancer screening on the basis that they identify as male).

Provisional equality has it's draw backs in money hungry corporate America. What if the insurer decides that breast reduction will no longer be available for cis woman with back pain?

No SRS for FTM.

What if a insurer decides it will no longer cover penal implants for impotent cis men? You got the picture. No beaver state for me. Whats up with that?