Rebecca Allison

Rebecca Anne "Becky" Allison (born December 21, 1946) is an American cardiologist and transgender activist. She served as President of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)[1] and as Chair of the American Medical Association's Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues.[2]

Rebecca Allison
Born (1946-12-21) December 21, 1946
Greenwood, Mississippi
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi Medical Center
OccupationCardiologist
EmployerPrivate Practice
Known forGay and Lesbian Medical Association
transgender activism
Websitedrbecky.com

Life

Allison was born in Greenwood, Mississippi to Errol Ward Atkinson and Mabel Blackwell Atkinson. She transitioned in 1993 while living in Jackson, Mississippi.

Career

Allison graduated magna cum laude from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 1971. After practicing primary care/internal medicine, in 1985 she returned to school to study cardiology, working in that field beginning in 1987. Later, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona, for a position with CIGNA and served as their chief of cardiology from 1998 to 2012, when she entered private practice. Phoenix Magazine named Allison one of the "Top Doctors" in Phoenix for 2006, 2007, and 2008.[3]

Activism

In 1998, Allison created drbecky.com, a resource site focusing on the medical, legal, and spiritual needs of transgender people. The website includes a compilation of statutes for amending sex on a birth certificate,[4] a brochure on facial feminization surgery by Douglas Ousterhout,[5] criticism of the controversial 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen by J. Michael Bailey,[6] and a section on spirituality. Allison's website is frequently cited in guidelines for LGBT health care.[7][8][9][10] In addition to the GLMA, she is Chair of the American Medical Association Advisory Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues,[11] and assisted in passage of AMA Resolution 22, "Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients."[12] Allison is also active in Soulforce and organized the Phoenix Transgender Day of Remembrance annually with her partner Margaux Schaffer.

Selected publications
  • Allison RA (2007). Transsexualism. In Fink G (ed.) Encyclopedia of Stress (2nd Edition). Elsevier, ISBN 978-0-12-088503-9
  • Allison RA (2007). Transsexualism. In Pfaff D, Arnold A, Etgen A, Fahrbach S, Rubin R (eds.) Hormones, Brain, and Behavior (2nd Edition). Elsevier, ISBN 978-0-12-532104-4

References
  1. Rochman, Sue (November 20, 2007). What's up, doc? Would removing transgender from the list of mental disorders do more harm than good? The Advocate
  2. Proulx, Marie-Jo (July 19, 2006). AMA Growing Receptive to LGBT Needs.
  3. Staff report (April 2008). Top Doctors: Cardiovascular Disease. Phoenix Magazine
  4. Dotinga, Randy (November 29, 2006). Sex Change, No Surgery Required. Wired News
  5. Van Marle, Karin (2006). Sex, Gender, Becoming: Post-Apartheid Reflections. PULP, ISBN 978-0-9585097-5-6
  6. Staff report (June 25, 2003). Trans Group Attacks New Book on 'Queens.' Windy City Times
  7. Lev, Arlene Istar (2004). Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working with Gender-Variant People and Their Families. Haworth Press, ISBN 978-0-7890-2117-5
  8. Makadon HJ, Mayer KH, Potter J, Goldhammer H (2007). The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health. ISBN 978-1-930513-95-2
  9. Hunter ND, Joslin CG, McGowan SM (2004). The Rights of Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender People. Southern Illinois University Press, ISBN 978-0-8093-2518-4
  10. Sember, Brette McWhorter (2006). Gay & Lesbian Rights: A Guide for GLBT Singles, Couples and Families. Sphinx Publishing, ISBN 978-1-57248-550-1
  11. Nielsen, Nancy H., ed. (June 19, 2008). Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender physician issues. AMA eVoice
  12. American Medical Association (2008). AMA Resolution 122: Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients.
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