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Hunter from page 10

ments are not covered," said Kathleen
LaTosch, project director for the Sexual
Orientation & Gender Identity Health
Equity Council of Southeast Michigan,
the group formed to carry out the work
defined by the grant. "Many doctors
and nurses don't understand the trans-
gender experience"
Transgender people also face social
discrimination when seeking medi-
cal care. The 2011 survey cited earlier
revealed 19 percent of the respondents
were actually denied treatment because
of their gender identification, while
another 28 percent experienced verbal
harassment from medical staff mem-
bers.
LaTosch and her committee will
work with local health care providers
and administrators, as well as members
of the LGBT community, to identify the
problems and develop a strategic plan
to address the issues and correct the
disparities.

Every Israeli is counting on Magen David Adorn, Israel's
national emergency medical and ambulance service and
providers of the nation's blood supply, including 100
percent of the blood used by the Israel Defense Forces.
Your investment in MDA will help replenish urgently
needed medical supplies and fund an ambulance in honor
of our chapter founders.

MDA is not government-funded, so please give today and
join us at the gala on September 11th. For sponsorships,
tribute journal ads, and gala reservations, visit
www.afmda.org/mames-gala or call 877.405.3913.

Celebration of Life Gala

Thursday, September 11, 2014. 5:30 p.m.
at Congregation Beth Ahm, West Bloomfield
Featuring Guest Speaker - Dr. Eilat Shinar, M.D.
Director of MDAs Blood Bank
R.SV.P. by Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Dr. John J. Mames Chapter — Michigan Region

Manny Charach, Chair • Cari Margulis Immerman, Director
23215 Commerce Park Road, Suite 306
Beachwood, OH 44122 • Toll Free: 877.405.3913
central@afmda.org

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12

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JLWISh[ NLWS

"It's a matter of social justice, every
person in the community is responsible
for everyone else" Bennett said. "We
are not here to judge, but simply to take
care of each other."
His friends from camp and class-
mates at school have accepted that
Olivia is now Hunter. They realize his
clothes and haircut may be different,
but the person inside is still the same.
Hunter's most ardent supporters are
his family members. Roz has become
a powerful advocate for transgender
people and for the concept of uncondi-
tional parental love. She cannot under-
stand parents who reject their children
because they are gay, transgender or
otherwise different from the societal
norm.
"If you love your children, you have
to love them as they are and help them
become the best version of them-
selves" she said. "Be their advocate.
Make it clear your love is uncondi-
tional."

❑

Legal Issues
We live in a society where our identities
are verified by an assortment of docu-
ments: driver's license, birth certificate,
Social Security card, passport. For
transgender individuals, these creden-
tials may not accurately reflect their
current identities, and changing official
records can be time-consuming and
complicated. The Keiths have begun
the process of legally changing Hunter's
name, which they hope to complete
before the coming school year.
"It was painful for Hunter to see his
name listed as Olivia on the school ros-
ter" said Roz Keith.
Changing the name on his birth cer-
tificate requires a different procedure,
and altering the gender designation on
documents such as birth certificates,
passports or insurance policies involves
yet another process.

Support And Acceptance
While many transgender teens have
been bullied and ostracized, Hunter has
received overwhelming support from
his family and the community at large.
With the help of Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield, where the Keiths are mem-
bers, Hunter and another teen attended
a Shabbaton for transgender teens in
Connecticut. The event was sponsored
by the Union for Reform Judaism
(URJ).
Rabbi Joshua
Bennett of Temple
Israel feels it is
important to create
a loving and accept-
ing environment for
all of its members,
regardless of sexual
Rabbi Joshua
orientation or gender
Bennett
identity.

Transgender And
LGBT Resources

• Affirmations, (248) 398-7105,
helpline: (248) 398-GAYS (4297),
transgender helpline 6:30-9 p.m.
Thursdays, www.goaffirmations.
org .
• Common Ground Sanctuary,
24-hour crisis/resource hotline:
(800) 231-1127, or
www.commongroundsanctuary.
org .
• Jewish Gay Network of
Michigan at the JCCs in West
Bloomfield and Oak Park; email:
info@jgnmi.org; (248) 432-5661.
• Keshet, grassroots group
dedicated to creating an inclu-
sive community for lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender Jews,
www.keshetonline.org .
• Jewish Mosaic, the National
Center for Sexual and Gender
Diversity, www.jewishmosaic.org .
• JQYouth, social/support
group made up of observant/for-
merly observant LGBT Jews ages
17-30 with an anonymous online
discussion group, www.jqyouth.
org/index.html.
• Michigan Equality, political/
educational advocacy to combat
discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity
or expression, www.
michiganequality.org .
• The Transgender Child:

A Handbook for Families
and Professionals (2008) by

Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel
Pepper.