Tax court hears opening arguments in sex change case
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PageOneQ
A Boston U.S. Tax Court heard opening arguments Tuesday in an unprecedented sex-change case. Rhiannon O'Donnabhain appealed to the court to overturn an IRS decision that claims her 2001 sex change operations were for cosmetic reasons. The 63-year-old woman was denied a 25-thousand-dollar tax write-off for the operations. The IRS argued that the gender change surgery was not a medical necessity. O'Donnabhain was diagnosed with gender identity disorder in 1996. She said even after being married and raising three children, she felt incomplete and uncomfortable as a man. A favorable decision could set a precedent for transgender people to write off high priced sex-change operations.
A Boston U.S. Tax Court heard opening arguments Tuesday in an unprecedented sex-change case. Rhiannon O'Donnabhain appealed to the court to overturn an IRS decision that claims her 2001 sex change operations were for cosmetic reasons. The 63-year-old woman was denied a 25-thousand-dollar tax write-off for the operations. The IRS argued that the gender change surgery was not a medical necessity. O'Donnabhain was diagnosed with gender identity disorder in 1996. She said even after being married and raising three children, she felt incomplete and uncomfortable as a man. A favorable decision could set a precedent for transgender people to write off high priced sex-change operations.
