Companies Are Increasingly Funding ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Employees
The online job search company Indeed has announced it will now cover up to $10,000 in expenses for employees who want to relocate for “gender-affirming care,” a policy that went into effect in July of this year. The financial aid is for staff and their immediate family members who identify, according to Axios, as “gender non-conforming, transgender, or non-binary,” and who live in a state where laws restrict access to medical transitions and cross-sex hormones.
Children are also included in this list of beneficiaries, despite the global uproar over whether minors should have access to gender transition procedures.
Indeed’s vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Misty Gaither, stated, “We know employees thrive and do their best work when they can bring their authentic selves to work.” She added that the decision over this type of “health care coverage” is something “everyone has the right to” do for themselves.
Indeed is not the only company offering such benefits. Intuit also offers relocation aid. Netflix and Starbucks help with surgeries, cross-sex hormones, and other procedures. Amazon, American Airlines, AT&T, Campbell’s, Chevron, Google, United Airlines, Coca-Cola, and Levi Strauss are among the many corporations who now offer some sort of support toward relocation, “inclusion training,” and various forms of gender transition coverage. Many of these companies, such as Amazon, are the same companies that also offer financial support for abortion travel.
Joseph Backholm, senior fellow for Family Research Council’s Center for Biblical Worldview, commented to The Washington Stand, “It’s remarkable what people will do to appear virtuous. It’s also remarkable how willing the corporate Left is to put their money where their mouth is.” He pointed out how even Europe has backed off of providing these procedures due to concerns over adverse health effects. “But these companies have been told this is what they need to do to remain in good standing with the cultural elites, so they do it,” he said.
Backholm further emphasized how it is not merely outside peer pressure that is putting these controversial incentives on the table, but rather a number of corporate employees who think what they are doing is the right thing to do. “Some of them are true believers,” he observed. “While they will one day be embarrassed by their gullibility, I can’t help but respect their willingness to put actions — not just words — behind what they believe. I wish Christians all shared a similar level of conviction.”
Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.