No Longer Considered To Suffer From A 'Gender Identity Disorder' Requiring Additional Scrutiny

The FAA has updated its medical guide to change the term "gender identity disorder" to "gender dysphoria" on its form evaluating the fitness of transgender pilots for medical certification.

ABC News reports that the FAA said that the change is designed to streamline the medical certification process for transgender pilots. The FAA stressed that this is not a new policy, and that transgender pilots generally are awarded medical certificates as long as there is not a disqualifying medical condition.

In a statement emailed to to ABC news, the FAA said "Previously, each case was managed at FAA Headquarters. If there was no prior history of associated mental health issues, after several years following gender reassignment surgery, airmen were advised they were eligible for an unrestricted (regular) medical certificate. No mental health status report was required."

The updated guide indicates that transgender pilots who have been on hormone therapy for five years or more, or who underwent gender reassignment surgery five or more years ago, do not have to submit a mental health status report.

But if the surgery or start of hormone therapy was within five years of the application, the mental health report is required.

Supporters of the change say that it is a first step, but does not go far enough. Jessica Taylor, a transgender pilot who began her flying career seven years ago, said the FAA should simply remove "gender dysphoria" from the AME guide.

Still, she says that the change simplifies the process for transgender pilots, and removes a lot of ambiguity for everyone about the criteria medical approval for transgender pilots.

FMI: AME Guide Updated