Virgin Media O2 will pay for gender transition treatments for its non-binary and transgender staff as part of employee perks in new diversity strategy

[LittleWhingingWoman]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10717175/Virgin-Media-O2-pay-gender-transition-treatments-non-binary-transgender-staff.html

How bizarre. Will they be paying for menopause HRT for its women staff?

Or cancer treatments?

Or is it only for the special Rainbow people?

I was wondering whether to cancel virgin media.
Decision made. Bye bye.

I actually think this is unwise strategically. In time, many people (I accept not all) will regret some of the extreme things they have been persuaded to do to their bodies. I wouldn’t want to be a business that did this.

Yes agree with this. Talk about being behind the curve. They must have lawyers who could tell them this is shaping up to be an actionable situation. Or maybe they’ve made sure that responsibility will fall on the medical providers.

Actually, let them do it. At least we can vote with our feet and the NHS won't have to pay.

Love all the comments on the article, hope it bites them on the arse.

The removal of breasts, ovaries and fallopian tubes to reduce risk in those with a genetic predisposition to cancer is never covered by private health insurance, according to my genetic counsellor. I checked the policy provided through my employer and it is indeed explicitly excluded.

Can't see Virgin or their ilk doing anything about that somehow

Most big companies who offer private health care will cover the costs of gender transition. Everywhere I’ve worked has also disregarded pre existing conditions.

The company I work for does (via its employee healthcare cover) does however we do not receive any cover for infertility (we don’t even have a HR policy for dealing with it), the impact of pregnancy or childbirth injury or menopause.

Why would a non-binary person require "gender confirmation" surgery, if their neither male nor female?

@veronicagoldberg

Why would a non-binary person require "gender confirmation" surgery, if their neither male nor female?

Maybe they just have one female boob and one testicle so they can turn from one side to the other depending how they feel.

@EmbarrassingHadrosaurus That non-binary surgery is horrifying! Essentially it should be called body modification surgery (like tongue splitting etc), but instead they call it "affirming" surgery, almost like there is a medical need for it.

A lot of it does sound like people uncomfortable with puberty and would rather their body remains in a child-like state.

The accounts of non-binary surgery mostly seem to be things to make a female body less noticeably female.

As if being female is something to be shamed for.

@IvyTwines

Will Virgin become liable for care / compensation / reconstruction if they detransition too?

Yes I was just thinking this. If they don't look into the legal ramifications they will end up to out it mildly - fucked!

I what about a woman who wants a breast augmentation/liposuction/Brazilian butt lift?

I mean I guess she could say she's a trans women and nobody could say otherwise, as it would be transphobic to tell a trans woman she's not a trans woman, right?

Litigation ahoy!

Well, I've just seen an advert for Virgin to the tune of "I am what I am" and people with glittery eye shadow etc. I couldn't work out what the purpose of it was ... now I see. Not sure why that would entice people to fly with them though

@FOJN

Virgin Media O2 also aims to achieve equal representation of men and women in its wider leadership team and to have 'driven forward progress for gender parity, including all gender identities and expressions across the organisation'.

I wonder what this means for women employed by Virgin?

Am willing to bet that in the long run the equal representation will on close examination be weighted . No prizes……….

I hope they've got a solid evidence base for the medical and surgical 'treatments ' on offer.
Oh, wait....

I'm being cynical, but if you have a sterilized workforce, you won't have maternity/paternity care/time off, so maybe this is a sick calculation.

But trans-identifying people have high rates of MH issues as well as other health problems caused by medical transition - and with the time off for transition surgery if they have that, I wouldn’t imagine they’d be having any less time off than people have for maternity/parental leave, on average.

Meh, I really don't care what private industry offers adults. My priorities are children and public congregate living facilities like prisons, shelters, etc.

I almost think the more people (who are of age to consent) engage in this nonsense only to find it doesn't bring the happiness they were searching for, the sooner it will fall out of fashion.

There will always be a small minority who actually experience body dysmorphia, but for everyone else it seems to be just another level of body modification.

Sounds expensive (sits and waits for the lawsuits).

@Moodycow78

Sounds expensive (sits and waits for the lawsuits).

I doubt it, from virgin media /employers anyway. There won’t be an onus on them to ensure psychological assessment or anything like that, their employees are adults.

@RoseslnTheHospital

What about people with physical disabilities getting funding for adapting their homes, or for getting an adapted vehicle, or a better wheelchair? Or is that not a diversity priority?

Wrong kind of diverse people I’m afraid. Along with older people and women - under represented in Virgin Media’s workforce at a senior level.

They could start with their Board - there’s only 4 women out of 12 members.

I suspect Virgin probably has a pretty good health insurance plan. I seem to remember their vacation plans are also very good.