The IRS vs Transamerica

I saw the movie "Transamerica" last Friday. It's a confused film in tone and direction but worth it for Felicity Huffman's superb, wry, ground-breaking performance. I've long believed that gay rights and transgendered rights are logically separate issues; but that doesn't mean I don't strongly support removing any barriers that keep trans-gendered people from living their lives as fully as anyone else. For many trans-gendered men and women, that means gender reassignment surgery at some point. Such a reassignment is not mere cosmetics; it's a profound medical procedure necessary for their mental health and personal flourishing. I see no reason why it should not be granted the same status under the law as other medical procedures; and it's dismaying to find out that the IRS still doesn't take such procedures seriously enough.