3/31/2014 Woman appalled by GLAD’s support of killer | Boston Herald http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2014/03/woman_appalled_by_glad_s_support_of_killer 1/2 Em ail 1 Comment By: More On: Jennifer Levi MassHealth Anita T. Phoenix FROM AROUND THE WEB 6 Automobiles That Define Poor Value (Wall St. Cheat Street) 30 Hottest Female Celebrity Bodies of All Time (Rant Lifestyle) Jennifer Aniston in a Hot Pink Bikini (Hollyscoop) Famed Dog Dies at 20 (Vetstreet) Car & Driver Crowns the 10 Best Cars of 2014 (Car & Driver) The 20 Worst Locker Room Cancers in Sports History (Rant Sports) MORE FROM BOSTONHERALD. COM Milton woman, child injured in I-95 crash in Norwood Ex-rapper put to death for studio owner's killing China satellite finds object near jet search area Friday Throwdown: Are yoga pants too sexy for school? 1 dead after shuttle bus crash on I-95; man held Carr: Patrick Kennedy’s new book will leave us all in stitches Woman appalled by GLAD’s support of killer Monday, March 31, 2014 Erin Smith A leading Bay State advocate for gay, bisexual and transgender people sidestepped questions about why the organization has publicly supported a convicted wife killer but not a Cambridge transgender woman in two separate legal bids for taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgery. “I’m not going to respond to individual cases,” said Jennifer Levi, director of Transgender Rights Project at the Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. Levi said the group is working on other cases pushing Medicare and MassHealth to cover the same operation. Anita T. Phoenix told the Herald she “lost total respect for GLAD” after the organization filed a brief earlier this month supporting Michelle Kosilek in the state’s federal appeal of a ruling to require Massachusetts to pay for gender reassignment surgery for the transgender prisoner and convicted murderer. Phoenix said GLAD turned down her request for help in her own federal lawsuit against Medicare and MassHealth for refusing to cover gender reassignment surgery. Levi said, “There are a number of insurance plans both private and public that exclude medical care relating to gender transition. We’re very committed to challenging those exclusions. GLAD believes that those exclusions are unprincipled, discriminatory and defy everything we know about the medical research related to gender dysphoria.” Author(s): Erin Smith / Boston Herald @SmithReports Tweet 2 0 submit reddit S S 3 Share Share Recommended by TOP VIDEO PLAYLISTS Malaysia Flight: Gone Without a Trace? Yellowstone Hit by Largest Earthquake in 34 Years Kobe Takes Heat for Refusing to Support Trayvon Diet Soda Linked to Heart Attacks Golfers: Your Golf Club Can Change Your Game! These 8 Popular Foods Are Drenched in Cancer- Causing Chemicals What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now This Tax Mistake Could Cost You Thousands What's This? Boston youngsters honor fallen firefighters Michelle Kosilek. Photo by: Herald file photo 1