Free sex changes for city's council workers

Council workers in America’s most liberal city were today preparing to take advantage of their latest perk - free sex changes.

A total of 37,000 employees of San Francisco’s council have been given the free gender-swaps as part of their package of health care benefits.

The city is the first in America to offer teachers, nurses and refuse collectors the chance to realign their genders.

After an overwhelming nine to two vote among the council’s board of supervisors last night, a budget of 1.75 million (£1.22m) was set aside - enough for at least 35 employees to have the operation.

The city’s mayor, Willie Brown, needs to sign the new policy before it becomes official, although opponents of the measure acknowledge he is unlikely to use his power of veto.

The measure would pay up to 50,000 (£34,942) to cover the cost of surgery and healthcare, as well as therapy and hormones, to city workers who want to switch their gender.

The benefit, which would be available from the beginning of July, would cover male-to-female surgery, which costs about 35,000 (£24,450), as well as female-to-male surgery, which comes in at around 77,000 (£53,811).

The move had been proposed as an equal-rights measure in a city famed for its tolerance, but will add 1.70 to the premiums workers pay each month for their discount health care.

‘‘Here we are the champions of equal benefits for equal work,’’ said Mark Leno, the supervisor - equivalent to councillor - who proposed the measure and who said it was being done out of fairness to transsexuals.

Because the council, in common with many in America, offers discount healthcare to its workers, few have the private health insurance they would need to pay for sex-swaps.

‘‘That’s wrong. That’s inequity and it’s hypocritical on our part,’’ he said.

‘‘What everyone needs to admit is that this is a population that is disrespected, abused and in many cases despised because of fear of the unknown.

‘‘But they are courageous individuals who face challenges in life far beyond anything I’ve faced as a gay man.’’

He was backed by the council’s 14 transsexual workers.

Claire Skiffington, 56, a health department worker who was born a man,said: ‘‘The idea that it’s cosmetic or a bad-hair day decision is simply not true.’’

The health-benefits plans will also give Viagra on prescription to city workers, as well as acupuncture sessions.

But there had been opposition to it from some on the council.

Tony Hall, who led the unsuccessful attempt to vote down the move, said: ‘‘I’m opposed because it is benefits for a select group of people at the expense of others.

‘‘This is a very politically correct issue, so it will probably be passed.’’