Lloyds Bank’s health insurance policy covers gender reassignment surgery
Former Olympian Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner, attempted to transition gender in the 1980s, but partly achieved gender reassignment only in 2015. Had Caitlyn been an employee of a top British bank, the gender shift could have possibly be 100 percent.
Lloyds Bank announced on Friday that it would pay for the gender reassignment surgery of its permanent employees in mainland Britain as an extension of the company’s health insurance policy. The bank is believed to be the first company in UK to offer that perk, noted The Telegraph.
The offer covers gender dystopia treatments so it would be inclusive to all who have issues with their gender. It is believed that about 20 Lloyd’s Bank staff would avail of the offer out of the company’s 75,000 employees. These are those who do not conform to the two gender identifies of male and female.
By offering the medical procedure through Bupa, Lloyds would take pressure off the NHS where the wait could for up to 18 months for initial consultation. According to a recent House of Commons report, the demand for gender reassignment clinics is growing at 30 percent annually, while England’s gender identity clinics get around 4,500 referrals a year.
In making the offer, Lloyds explains, “The health and wellbeing of all our colleagues is of utmost importance to the group and we are committed to providing them with increasing and inclusive support. LGBT groups hailed Lloyd’s Bank for the offer.
Lloyds Bank has a specific diversity and inclusion policy that values difference, provides work-life balance and takes into account disability, sexual orientation, gender and ethnic diversity of its staff and customers.
In terms of sexual orientation, for the past three years, Lloyds Bank’s has been rated by the Stonewall Workplace Equality index as a top 10 private sector company, while its Rainbow Network – which counts more than 1,800 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers - has achieved “Star Performer” status. Lloyds was the first bank to feature a gay couple in a product advertisement campaign.
