Students voted to amend the 2024-2025 WUSA Health Insurance Plan to include comprehensive coverage for gender-affirming care. The motion, submitted by Friday Saleh, would aid with urgent healthcare needs of transgender and non-binary students. The vote was nearly unanimous, with only one vote against.
The matter was discussed at the annual WUSA general meeting, which took place on March 19 in the SLC Great Hall.
Remington Zhi, a math faculty student and a seconder of the motion, wanted to ensure this motion would pass because of its urgency. Zhi mentioned that the next step after the motion being passed would be for directors to consult with transgender and binary students on campus. “It is important to see what kind of medical care they need and what things would look like for international students,” Zhi said, adding that UW has a “huge international student body” so their concerns should also be addressed.
“With gender-affirming care, especially with hormone therapy, time is really with the essence. I wanted the motion to pass sooner rather than later because of the gender studies attack that happened in the summer,” Zhi said. They feel the situation will only get worse, and it’s important to get the ball rolling because the consultations are going to take time.
Zhi hopes to connect with students looking to pass similar motions, adding they didn’t want the motion to drag on too long because the meeting was reaching the four-hour mark. Zhi was happy with how many people showed up for the motion, and hopes that the university will continue to hear student voices, especially gender minorities, such as women and transgender people. “This motion is a strong way to get our voices heard at the university,” they concluded.
