Rebecca Allison

Becky Allison
Born	December 21, 1946 (1946-12-21) (age 64) Greenwood, Mississippi
Residence	Phoenix, Arizona
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Mississippi Medical Center
Occupation	Cardiologist
Employer	CIGNA
Known for	Gay and Lesbian Medical Association transgender activism
Religion	Christian
Website
drbecky.com

Rebecca Anne "Becky" Allison (born December 21, 1946) is an American cardiologist and incoming President of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA).^[1] In 2008 she was elected Chair of the American Medical Association Advisory Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues.^[2] Allison is known for her work advocating on behalf of transgender people.

Career

Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, to Errol Ward Atkison and Mabel Blackwell Atkison, 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. Allison transitioned in 1993 while living in Jackson, Mississippi, but lost her practice within a year of transition.^[3] She then moved to Phoenix, Arizona, for a position with CIGNA and currently serves as their chief of cardiology. Phoenix Magazine named Allison one of the "Top Doctors" in Phoenix for 2006, 2007, and 2008.^[4]

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,^[5] a brochure on facial feminization surgery by Douglas Ousterhout,^[6] criticism of the controversial 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen by J. Michael Bailey,^[7] and a section on spirituality. Allison's website is frequently cited in guidelines for LGBT health care.^{[8][9][10][11]} In addition to the GLMA, she is Chair of the American Medical Association Advisory Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues,^[12] and assisted in passage of AMA Resolution 22, "Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients."^[13] Allison is also active in Soulforce and organizes 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 9780120885039
• Allison RA (2007). Transsexualism. In Pfaff D, Arnold A, Etgen A, Fahrbach S, Rubin R (eds.) Hormones, Brain, and Behavior (2nd Edition). Elsevier, ISBN 9780125321044

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 (October 8, 2007). Gay And Lesbian Medical Association Urges Inclusion Of Transgender People In Federal Workplace Discrimination Bill. Medical News Today
4. ^ Staff report (April 2008). Top Doctors: Cardiovascular Disease. Phoenix Magazine
5. ^ Dotinga, Randy (November 29, 2006). Sex Change, No Surgery Required. Wired News
6. ^ Van Marle, Karin (2006). Sex, Gender, Becoming: Post-Apartheid Reflections. PULP, ISBN 9780958509756
7. ^ Staff report (June 25, 2003). Trans Group Attacks New Book on 'Queens.' Windy City Times
8. ^ Lev, Arlene Istar (2004). Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working with Gender-Variant People and Their Families. Haworth Press, ISBN 9780789021175
9. ^ Makadon HJ, Mayer KH, Potter J, Goldhammer H (2007). The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health. ISBN 9781930513952
10. ^ Hunter ND, Joslin CG, McGowan SM (2004). The Rights of Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender People. Southern Illinois University Press, ISBN 9780809325184
11. ^ Sember, Brette McWhorter (2006). Gay & Lesbian Rights: A Guide for GLBT Singles, Couples and Families. Sphinx Publishing, ISBN 9781572485501
12. ^ Nielsen, Nancy H., ed. (June 19, 2008). Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender physician issues. AMA eVoice
13. ^ American Medical Association (2008). AMA Resolution 122: Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients.

External links

• Becky Allison, M.D.
• Dr. Becky Allison: Local Action Hero via Human Rights Campaign
• GLBT Advisory Committee members via American Medical Association

Persondata
Name	Allison, Rebecca
Alternative names
Short description	American cardiologist
Date of birth	December 21, 1946
Place of birth	Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death