Gender-affirming surgery: Difference between revisions
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Sex reassignment surgery is a lie and was created by white people. Stupid White people... |
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{{dablink|For specialized articles on surgical procedures, see [[Sex reassignment surgery male-to-female]] and [[Sex reassignment surgery female-to-male]].}} |
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{{Citations missing|date=February 2009}} |
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{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}} |
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{{Transgender sidebar}} |
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'''Sex reassignment surgery''' (initialized as '''SRS'''; also known as '''gender reassignment surgery''', '''gender-change surgery''', or '''sex-change operation''') is a term for the [[surgical]] procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble that of the other [[sex]]. It is part of a treatment for [[gender identity disorder]]/gender dysphoria in [[transsexual]] and [[transgender]] people. It may also be performed on [[intersex]] people, often in infancy. Other terms for SRS include ''gender reassignment surgery'', ''sex reconstruction surgery'', ''genital reconstruction surgery'', ''gender confirmation surgery'', and more recently ''sex affirmation surgery''. The commonly used terms ''[[sex change]]'' or ''sex change operation'' are considered factually inaccurate. The terms ''feminizing genitoplasty'' or ''penectomy, orcidectomy and vaginoplasty'' are used medically for transwomen, with ''masculinizing genitoplasty'' often similarly used for transmen. |
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The best known of these surgeries are those that reshape the genitals, which are also known as ''genital reassignment surgery'' or ''genital reconstruction surgery'' (GRS). However, the meaning of "sex reassignment surgery" has been clarified by the medical subspecialty organization, the [[World Professional Association for Transgender Health]] (WPATH), to include any of a larger number of surgical procedures performed as part of a medical treatment for "gender dysphoria". transsexualism" or "gender identity disorder". According to WPATH, medically necessary sex reassignment surgeries include "complete hysterectomy, bilateral mastectomy, chest reconstruction or augmentation [...] including breast prostheses if necessary, genital reconstruction (by various techniques which must be appropriate to each patient[...])[...] and certain facial plastic reconstruction."<ref>see WPATH "Clarification on Medical Necessity of Treatment, sex Reassignment, and Insurance Coverage in the U.S." available at: http://www.wpath.org/documents/Med%20Nec%20on%202008%20Letterhead.pdf</ref> In addition, other non-surgical procedures are also considered medically necessary treatments by WPATH, including facial electrolysis. |
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The array of medically necessary surgeries differs for [[transwomen]] (male to female) rather than [[transmen]] (female to male). For transwomen, genital reconstruction usually involves the [[vaginoplasty|surgical construction of a vagina]], whereas in the case of transmen, genital reconstruction may involve either [[phalloplasty|construction of a penis]] or metoidioplasty/construction of a penis. In both cases, for transwomen and transmen, genital surgery may also involve other medically necessary ancillary procedures, such as orchiectomy or vaginectomy. As underscored by WPATH, a medically-assisted transition from one sex to another may entail any of a variety of non-genital surgical procedures, any of which are considered "sex reassignment surgery" when performed as part of treatment for transsexualism. For transmen these may include [[mastectomy]] (removal of the female breasts) and chest reconstruction (the shaping of a male-contoured chest), or [[hysterectomy]] and bilateral [[oophorectomy|salpingo-oophorectomy]]. For some transwomen, [[facial feminization surgery]] and [[breast augmentation]] are also medically necessary components of their surgical treatment. |
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A growing number of public and commercial health insurance plans in the United States now contain defined benefits covering sex reassignment related procedures, usually including genital reconstruction surgery (MTF and FTM), chest reconstruction (FTM)and breast augmentation (MTF, and hysterectomy (FTM).<ref>See discussion of insurance exclusions at: http://www.hrc.org/issues/transgender/9568.htm</ref> In June 2008, the American Medical Association House of Delegates declared that discrimination <ref>AMA Resolution 122 "Removing Financial Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients". see: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/15/digest_of_actions.pdf</ref>, stating that the denial to patients with Gender Identity Disorder of otherwise covered benefits represents discrimination, and that the AMA supports "public and private health insurance coverage for treatment for gender identity disorder as recommended by the patient's physician." Other organizations have issued similar statements, including WPATH <ref>See WPATH Clarification Statement</ref>, the American Psychological Association <ref> APA Policy Statement Transgender, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression Non-Discrimination. See online at: http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/policy/transgender.pdf</ref>, and the National Association of Social Workers <ref>NASW Policy Statement on Transgender and Gender Identity Issues, revised August 2008. See www.socialworkers.org</ref>. |
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People who pursue sex reassignment surgery are usually referred to as [[transsexual]]; "trans" - across, through, change; "sexual" - pertaining to the sexual characteristics (not sexual actions) of a person. More recently, people pursuing SRS often identify as [[transgender]] instead of transsexual. |
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== Medical considerations == |
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Those with [[HIV]] or [[hepatitis C]] may have difficulty finding a surgeon able or even willing to perform surgery because many surgeons operate out of small private clinics that cannot adequately treat potential complications in these populations. Some surgeons charge higher fees for HIV and hepatitis C positive patients (some surgeons in [[developing countries]] prefer to dispose of surgical instruments used on these populations). {{Fact|date=December 2008}} However, medical professionals underscore that it is unethical to deny surgical or hormonal treatments to transsexuals solely on the basis of their HIV or hepatitis status.<ref>See WPATH Standards of Care, also WPATH Clarification. www.wpath.org</ref> |
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Other health conditions such as [[diabetes]], [[blood clotting#Disorders of hemostasis|abnormal blood clotting]], and [[obesity]] do not usually present a problem to experienced surgeons, but do increase the [[anesthetic]] risk and the rate of post-operative complications. Some surgeons require that severely overweight patients reduce their weight by a certain amount prior to surgery and that patients refrain from [[tobacco smoking|smoking]] for a period of time before and after surgery, although this is considered common practice regardless of the operation performed. {{Fact|date=December 2008}} |
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== Results == |
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For male-to-female transsexuals, medical advances may eventually make childbearing possible by using a donor [[uterus]] long enough to carry a child to term as [[Immunosuppressive drug|anti-rejection drugs]] do not seem to affect the fetus.<ref>[http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2007/01/23/features/health_and_medical/288035642038177.txt Doctors plan uterus transplants to help women with removed, damaged wombs have babies] - Associated Press</ref><ref name="Fageeh2002">{{cite journal |author=Fageeh W, Raffa H et al.|title=Transplantation of the human uterus|journal=International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics|month=March | year=2002|volume=76|issue=3|pages=245–51|pmid=11880127 |doi=10.1016/S0020-7292(01)00597-5}}</ref><ref name="Priore2007">{{cite journal |author=Del Priore G, Stega J et al.|title=Human uterus retrieval from a multi-organ donor|journal=Obstetrics and Gynecology|month=January | year=2007|volume=109|issue=1|pages=101–4|pmid=17197594}}</ref><ref name="Nair2008">{{cite journal |author=Nair A, Stega J et al.|title=Uterus Transplant: Evidence and Ethics|journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences|month=April | year=2008|volume=1127|pages=83–91|pmid=18443334 |doi=10.1196/annals.1434.003}}</ref> The [[DNA]] in a donated [[ovum]] can be removed and replaced with the DNA of the receiver. Further in the future [[Stem cell|stem cell biotechnology]] may also make this possible, with no need for anti-rejection drugs. |
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== Standards of care == |
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{{Seealso|Legal aspects of transsexualism}} |
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Sex reassignment surgery can be difficult to obtain, due to a combination of financial barriers and lack of providers, among other issues. An increasing number of surgeons are now training to perform such surgeries. In many countries or areas, an individual's pursuit of SRS is often governed, or at least guided, by documents called [[Standards of care for gender identity disorders|Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders]] (SOC). This most widespread SOC in this field is published and frequently revised by the [[World Professional Association for Transgender Health]] (WPATH, formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association or HBIGDA). Many jurisdictions and medical boards in the United States and other countries now recognize the WPATH Standards of Care for the treatment of transsexualism. For many individuals these may require a minimum duration of [[psychological evaluation]] and living as a member of the target gender full time, sometimes called the real life experience (RLE) (sometimes mistakenly referred to as the real life test (RLT)) before genital reconstruction or other sex reassignment surgeries are permitted. |
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Standards of Care usually give certain very specific "minimum" requirements as guidelines for progressing with treatment for transsexualism, including accessing cross-gender hormone replacement or many surgical interventions. For this and many other reasons, both the WPATH-SOC and other SOCs are highly controversial and often maligned documents among transgender patients seeking surgery. Some alternative local standards of care exist, such as in the [[Netherlands]], [[Germany]], and [[Italy]]. Much of the criticism surrounding the WPATH/HBIGDA-SOC applies to these as well, and some of these SOCs (mostly European SOC) are actually based on much older versions of the WPATH-SOC. Other SOCs are entirely independent of the WPATH. The criteria of many of those SOCs are stricter than the latest revision of the WPATH-SOC. Many qualified surgeons in [[North America]] and many in [[Europe]] adhere almost unswervingly to the WPATH-SOC or other SOCs. However, in the United States many experienced surgeons are able to apply the WPATH SOC in ways which respond to an individual's medical circumstances, as is consistent with the SOC. |
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Many medical professionals and numerous professional associations have stated that surgical interventions should not be required in order for transsexual individuals to change sex designation on identity documents.<ref>See WPATH Clarification Statement, APA Policy Statement, and NASW Policy Statement</ref> However, depending on the legal requirements of many jurisdictions, [[transsexual]] and [[transgender]] people are often unable to change the listing of their sex in public records unless they can furnish a physician's letter attesting that sex reassignment surgery has been performed. In some cases, such statutes may specify that genital surgery has been completed. |
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== History == |
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The earliest identifiable recipient of Male to Female Sex Reassignment Surgery was [[Lili Elbe]] in Berlin, in 1930-1931. This was started with the removal of the male sex organs and was supervised by Dr. [[Magnus Hirschfeld]]. Lili went on to have four more subsequent operations that included an unsuccessful [[uterus|uterine]] [[organ transplant|transplant]], the rejection of which resulted in death. An earlier known recipient of this was [[Magnus Hirschfeld]]'s [[housekeeper]],<ref>[[Magnus Hirschfeld]], ''Zeitschrift für Sexualwissenschaft'', 1908</ref> but her identity is unclear at this time. |
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Filmmaker [[Tanaz Eshaghian]] discovered that the Iranian government's "solution" for homosexuality is to endorse, and fully pay for, sex reassignment surgery.<ref name=SexChange>[http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2008/08/26/f-homosexuality-iran-sex-change.html Iran's gay plan], Matthew Hays, ''[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]'', August 26, 2008; accessed September 20, 2008.</ref> The leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution, [[Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini]], issued a [[fatwa]] declaring sex reassignment surgery permissible for “diagnosed transsexuals.”<ref name=SexChange>[http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2008/08/26/f-homosexuality-iran-sex-change.html Iran's gay plan], Matthew Hays, ''[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]'', August 26, 2008; accessed September 20, 2008.</ref> Eshaghian's documentary, ''[[Be Like Others]]'', chronicles a number of stories of [[LGBT rights in Iran|Iranian gay men]] who feel transitioning is the only way to avoid further persecution, jail and/or execution.<ref name=SexChange/> The head of Iran's main transsexual organization, [[Maryam Khatoon Molkara]]—who convinced Khomeini to issue the fatwa on transsexuality—confirmed that some people who undergo operations are gay rather than transsexual.<ref name=Guardian>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2177277,00.html Sex change funding undermines no gays claim], Robert Tait, ''[[The Guardian]]'', September 26, 2007; accessed September 20, 2008.</ref> |
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[[Kathoey|Thailand]] performs the most sex reassignment surgeries, followed by Iran.<ref name=Guardian/> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Gender transitioning]] |
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[[Category:Surgical procedures]] |
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[[Category:Transgender and medicine]] |
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[[cy:Llawdriniaeth ailgyfeirio rhyw]] |
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[[de:Geschlechtsangleichende Operation]] |
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[[fr:Chirurgie de réattribution sexuelle]] |
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[[ko:성확정 수술]] |
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[[he:ניתוח לשינוי מין]] |
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[[ja:性別適合手術]] |
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[[pt:Cirurgia de redesignação sexual]] |
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[[ru:Хирургическая коррекция пола]] |
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[[sv:Könskorrigering]] |
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[[tr:Cinsiyet değiştirme ameliyatı]] |
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[[zh:性別重置手術]] |
Revision as of 21:47, 15 August 2009
Sex reassignment surgery is a lie and was created by white people. Stupid White people...