Becoming Nicole

School systems across Maine and across the country start examining their rules to make sure they won’t be held legally liable for restricting transgender students’ bathroom use. Boston University’s medical school releases a comprehensive review of scientific evidence about gender identity as a biological phenomenon. The researchers conclude that:

[c]linical experience with treatment of transgender persons has clearly demonstrated that the best outcomes for these individuals are achieved with their requested hormone therapy and surgical sexual transition as opposed to psychiatric intervention alone (243).

Despite this, the University of Maine’s insurance provider sends Nicole a letter stating that her sex reassignment surgery is not covered because it is considered cosmetic, and not medically necessary. After a few appeals and some help from GLAD, it reverses this policy for all beneficiaries, not just Nicole.

Both Nicole and Jonas are about to graduate high school in spring of 2015. Nicole is headed to University of Maine in Orono to study art and theater. Jonas is headed to University of Maine in Farmington to study theater and psychology. An LGBT advocacy organization from Los Angeles calls Wayne see if Nicole wants to audition for the role of a transgender teen on an upcoming episode of the TV series Royal Pains.