Social Security will be holding a National Disability Forum on Equitable Access to Social Security Disability Programs for LGBTQIA+ Communities on Thursday, February 17, 2022 via Microsoft Teams from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. The agency wants "to learn from stakeholders, advocates, researchers, medical experts, and the public how SSA can provide equitable access to the LGBTQIA+ communities to our disability programs."
Equity is "Imagined Social Justice"
ReplyDeleteWhat does this have to do with SS?
When I applied for SSDI, they did not ask me what my sexual orientation was, and this should continue to be the case!
What are all these letters for? I can't keep up; I'm okay as far as Q, but I and A and +, I'm lost
ReplyDeleteI’m guessing it’s more towards the spousal benefits afforded heterosexual couples and making sure all those options are available.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the disability piece goes, you’re correct, sexual orientation shouldn’t be an issue since being gay or transgendered or non-binary is not a disability.
The use of data (whether it's sex/gender identity or race and ethnicity) is not tied to eligibility for benefits etc... but tied to research purposes, to have the ability to study and ensure benefits/programs are being managed equitably
ReplyDeleteSSA has a lot to do with name changes after marriage or divorce, survivor benefits, parental benefits (who is legally a parent to a kid?), and there is a gender marker on SS cards that needs to be changed when someone transitions. A rude or biased SSA employee can make these things unpleasant for people. The policy itself doesn't seem problematic but like so many things at SSA, implementation is often a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI wonder when they will update the sex field of the numident to show anything other than Male or Female or if they’ll just make it optional?
ReplyDeleteSex code not the same as gender. Sex code (M or F) is biological, gender is a social construct based on individual choice. A more specific identification for sex is 'XX' or 'XY', along with the rarer 'XXY' or 'X0'. If there is a reason to annotate gender, the it would seem reasonable for that to be a new, separate entry on Numi and MBR.
ReplyDelete