The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) is set to present a shareholder proposal at Visa's annual meeting challenging the company's health insurance policies related to gender transition procedures. The proposal aims to investigate risks associated with current healthcare benefits and potential psychological and medical harm to employees.
Claire Abernathy, a 20-year-old detransitioner, will speak directly to Visa's board of directors about her personal experience with gender-related medical interventions. Abernathy's narrative highlights a rapid progression of medical treatments that began when she was just 12 years old, including testosterone treatments and a double mastectomy completed within eight months of initial therapy referral.
The shareholder proposal specifically examines Visa's health insurance coverage through CIGNA, which includes medical procedures such as mastectomies, penectomies, vaginectomies, orchiectomies, and salpingooophorectomies. NLPC argues that these coverage policies potentially expose employees and their dependents to significant medical risks.
Paul Chesser, director of NLPC's Corporate Integrity Project, criticized the current approach, suggesting that corporations should eliminate such coverage given the increasing number of detransitioner lawsuits against medical providers. The proposal aligns with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines that consider healthcare benefits based on gender identity as a potential area of discrimination.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by NLPC, which has previously submitted similar proposals to other major corporations like Johnson & Johnson and PepsiCo. The goal is to prompt corporations to critically examine their healthcare policies and potential long-term consequences of gender transition medical interventions.
The proposal raises significant questions about corporate responsibility, medical ethics, and the comprehensive care of employees experiencing gender identity challenges. By bringing attention to potential gaps in healthcare coverage, NLPC seeks to encourage a more nuanced and supportive approach to employee health benefits.
