Members in Maryland joined their newly- elected Governor, Wes Moore, in Annapolis on May 5th when he signed the Trans Health Equity Act that they helped to pass. The law requires Medicaid to cover the costs of medically necessary gender-affirming care for low- income transgender residents.

“My late brother was transgender,” said, Joyce Jackson, an 1199er at Whitman Walker Health who attended the signing ceremony. “Back in the 70’s, he did not have access to gender affirming care at all. This is one of the reasons I fight so fiercely on behalf of my transgender patients and the entire community of low- income transgender people in Maryland.”

Claudia Martinez, her co- worker added: “Access to gender affirming healthcare is life changing for the better. Too many trans people end up dead when we are not living our authentic life as the gender we truly are.”

1199 Magazine: May / June 2023