Sex Re-assignment Surgery
In Canada,
preoperative transsexuals undergo medical discrimination through the struggle
of obtaining the health care needed to undergo sex re-assignment surgery.
After all
of the emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical abuse endured by
individuals identifying as a transsexual person, they now have to undergo
humiliation, long wait times, and stressful situations that can sometimes make
it impossibly hard to fulfill their desire, and their right to have sex re-assignment surgery performed.
"Only
three gender identity clinics are available in Canada;
Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver
"(Queens, n.d.). After an individual has
decided to obtain a sex reassignment surgery, the individual is referred to one
of Canada's three clinics,
which can take years to obtain an appointment due to the lack of professionals
offering the service (Queens, n.d.). At one of
the three clinics, the individual will then be assessed for a diagnosis of a Gender Identity Disorder (Queens, n.d.).
This process of diagnosing transsexuals with a
disorder from the DSM IV, in my opinion is a humiliating and medically
unnecessary process. By stating that transsexuals have a diagnosis, we are
stating that there is something medically wrong with them. After a life time of
trying to become comfortable with themselves, they now have to under go medical
scrutiny, with professionals reinstating the message that they are
"bad" and there is something
inherently wrong with them. "Devor contends that individuals desire to be witnessed for exactly who
they are and to see themselves mirrored in others' eyes as they see
themselves" (Budge, Tebbe, & Howard, 2010).
If an
individual is able to go through the first step in the sex reassignment surgery
procedure, they are then subjected to a second stage that involves transitioning to live in the "gender of
their identity, generally for a period of one to two years" (Queens, n.d.). This real life test requires an individual
to "dress and behave as a member of their felt gender, 24 hours a day,
without the benefit of the physical alterations produced by medical
intervention" (Queens, n.d.). The per-operative individuals ability to
"withstand the discrimination and "pass" largely determines
their acceptance for sex reassignment surgery" (Queens,
n.d.).
This second
step in the sex reassignment surgery process becomes a very dangerous and difficult period in the transsexual
individuals life. Understandably many individuals do not pass this second step
as the humiliation and discrimination
felt by these individuals must be horrendous. In other LGBT blogs, the
bathroom bill was discussed. for a preoperative transsexual in this second step
of the sex reassignment process, the discord of using the preferred sexes
washroom while still having physical attributes of the opposite sex can result
in physical violence, altercations with authority, and humiliation. I could only imagine being
in this situation. In order to receive the sex reassignment surgery you must
use the opposite washroom, and be accepted into it, but realistically speaking,
if you have physical traits that strongly distinguish you as the other sex,
very negative results are very likely to happen. I feel like this second step
is setting many individuals up for failure, and revisions to the policies
regarding this step should be taken into high priority for the safety of the per-operative individuals.
Next, if a transsexual has proven themselves through the first two steps, they are then granted hormone therapy in order to begin hormonal changes to their physical selves. But, hormonal therapy is just the beginning of a very lengthy and financially stressful time. in 1998 the government of Ontario announced it would longer cover the costs of sex reassignment therapy under OHIP. It is now seen as an unneeded elective surgery. (Queens, n.d.). Under this new regulation, even more people are limited from receiving the surgery as " the costs are far beyond the reach of most people" (Queens, n.d.).
I believe that our current system is set up to refuse access to this potentially life saving procedure. The first step is to change the idea that a transsexual individual has a medical diagnosis, and that something is wrong with them. To see beauty in all individuals is power, and a step towards a truly "civilized nation."
Budge, S. L., & Tebbe, E.N., & Howard, K. A. S. (2010). The work experiences of transgender
individuals: Negotiating the transition and career decision-making processes. Journal of
Counseling Psychology. 57.4, 377-393. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0020472
Queens Human Rights Office. (n.d.). Trans accessibility project: Overview of transgender issues.
Retrieved November 29, 2012, from http://www.queensu.ca/humanrights/tap/2tg101.htm
- Larissa C
