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Encyclopedia > Gender Reassignment Surgeries

Sex reassignment surgery (SRS) includes the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are changed to that of the other sex. It is part of a treatment for gender identity disorder in transsexual and transgender people. Other names 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 and masculinizing genitoplasty are used medically. Surgery Surgery is the medical specialty that treats diseases or injuries by operative manual and instrumental treatment. ... Variation in the physical appearance of humans is believed by anthropologists to be an important factor in the development of personality and social relations in particular physical attractiveness. ... Sex, in the scope of this article and category, refers to the male and female duality of biology and reproduction. ... Gender identity disorder as identified by psychologists and medical doctors is a condition where a person who has been assigned one gender (usually at birth on the basis of their sex, but compare intersexual) but identifies as belonging to another gender, or does not conform with the gender role their... A transsexual (sometimes transexual) person establishes a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their assigned (usually at birth) sex. ... Transgender is generally used as an overarching term for a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies along the gender continuum that are opposite to or in divergence with the assigned biological sex: woman or man. ... A clownfish Sex change in animals Some species are known to change sex, including reproductive functions, in special circumstances, such as the clownfish. ...


The best known of these surgeries are those that reshape the genitals which is also known as genital reassignment surgery or genital reconstruction surgery (GRS).


The meanings of sexual reassignment surgery usually differs for transwomen (male to female) rather than transmen (female to male). For transwomen, sex reassignment involves the reconstruction of the genitals (though other procedures may occur; indeed, some transwomen decide against genital reconstruction surgery), whereas for transmen this may refer to a range of surgeries, including the removal of female breasts and the shaping of a male contoured chest as well as the reconstruction of the genitals. Chest (or "top") surgery is often the only surgical procedure they undergo. Transwomen or trans women are transsexual or transgendered people who were assigned male sex at birth (or, in some cases of intersexuality, later) and feel that this is not an accurate or complete description of themselves. ... Transmen or trans men are transsexual or transgendered people who were assigned female gender at birth (or, in some rare cases of intersexuality, later) and who feel that this is not an accurate or complete description of themselves. ...


People who pursue sexual reassignment surgery are usually referred to as transsexual; "trans" - to go or travel between points; "sexual" - pertaining to the sexual characteristics (not sexual actions) of a person. More recently, people pursuing SRS often identify as transgender instead of transsexual. A transsexual (sometimes transexual) person establishes a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their assigned (usually at birth) sex. ... Transgender is generally used as an overarching term for a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies along the gender continuum that are opposite to or in divergence with the assigned biological sex: woman or man. ...

Contents


Medical considerations

Those with HIV or Hepatitis C may have trouble finding a surgeon able (many surgeons operate out of small private clinics that cannot adequately treat potential complications in these populations) or even willing to perform surgery. 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). Other health concerns, such as diabetes, abnormal blood clotting, reasonably overweight patients, etc. are generally not a problem with experienced surgeons. Human immunodeficiency virus, commonly known by the acronym HIV, is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system such as CD4+ T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. ... Hepatitis C is a form of inflammatory disease of the liver caused by a virus, the hepatitis C virus (HCV). ... A developing country is a country with low average income compared to the world average. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ... Coagulation is the thickening or congealing of any liquid into solid clots. ... Obesity is an excess storage of fat and can affect any mammal, such as the mouse on the left. ...


Results

As a result of SRS, the person will have the apparent anatomical structures and function typical of the new sex. They are unable to reproduce due to the lack of actual sex glands (testes or ovaries), except through prior sperm banking or embryonic freezing, which still require a genetic woman as the birth mother (See Reproductive technology.). Sex, in the scope of this article and category, refers to the male and female duality of biology and reproduction. ... The gonad is the organ that makes gametes. ... Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... Human female internal reproductive anatomy Ovaries are a part of a female organism that produces eggs. ... Reproductive technology is a term for all current and anticipated uses of technology in human and animal reproduction, including: artificial insemination artificial wombs cloning (see human cloning for the special case of human beings) cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes, embryos embryo testing embryo transfer genetic engineering hormone treatment to increase fertility...


Additionally, for trans men, continuing hormone replacement therapy is necessary to maintain muscle and bone integrity and characteristic form. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for transgender and transsexual people replaces the hormones naturally occurring in their bodies with those of the other sex. ...


Transsexual people who cannot or want not to have SRS and particularly genital reassignment surgery are often called non-op, while "gender refusenik" is a slang term among transgender people. Possible reasons for not having SRS include financial, legal, medical, and other considerations.


Standards of care

It can be extremely difficult to get sexual reassignment surgery. There are very few surgeons willing to perform SRS. Most jurisdictions and medical boards 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) or Real Life Test (RLT) before SRS is permitted. However, transsexual and transgendered people are often not allowed to change the listing of their sex in public records until SRS is completed. (See legal aspects of transsexualism.) A transsexual (sometimes transexual) person establishes a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their assigned (usually at birth) sex. ... Transgender is generally used as a catch-all umbrella term for a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups centered around the full or partial reversal of gender roles; however, compare other definitions below. ... Transsexual people are persons who establish a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their birth sex. ...


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 (SOC). This most widespread SOC in this field is published and frequently revised by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA). Standards of Care usually give certain very specific "minimum" requirements as prerequisites to SRS. For this and many other reasons, both the HBIGDA-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 about the HBIGDA-SOC applies to these as well, and some of these SOCs (mostly European SOC) are actually based on much older versions of the HBIGDA-SOC. Other SOCs are entirely independent of the HBIGDA. The criteria of those SOCs are even more strict than the latest revision of the HBIGDA-SOC. The majority of qualified surgeons in North America and many in Europe adhere almost unswervingly to the HBIGDA-SOC or other SOCs. In many countries or areas, an individuals pursuit of sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) is often governed, or at least guided, by documents called standards of care (SOC), or standards of care for gender identity disorders. ... The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, Inc. ...


See also

  • List of transgender-related topics

Transgender is a very complex topic, where definitions are often still up in the air. ...

External links

Male-to-female SRS information

Female-to-male SRS information

  • http://www.transster.com

Lists of SRS surgeons

  • http://wolfandturtle.net/Indigo/index.php/Surgeons_:_Male_to_Female - MtF
  • http://wolfandturtle.net/Indigo/index.php/Surgeons_:_Female_to_Male - FtM
  • http://supornclinic.com/
  • http://www.europeants.org/surgeons/english/index.html

  Results from FactBites:
 
Sex Reassignment Surgery: Encyclopedia of Surgery (1221 words)
Gender reassignment surgery is irreversible, so a candidate must have no doubts about accepting the results and outcome.
Individuals undergoing female to male gender reassignment surgery undergo a hysterectomy to remove the uterus and oophorectomy to remove their ovaries.
Gender reassignment surgery is performed by surgeons with specialized training in urology, gynecology, or plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Sexual reassignment surgery (835 words)
This is part of a treatment for gender identity disorder, involving surgery involving the internal / external sex organs, and removal of the breasts as is the case involving persons born with a female body.
Transsexuals prior to surgery are often referred to as pre-operative; those who have already had the surgery may be referred to as post-operative or simply identified by the sex and sexual status to which they have ascribed.
Not all transsexual people are able to or choose to have sexual reassignment surgery (for several reasons, for example financial reasons, due to the high cost of such surgery, or medical reasons), although they live constantly in their target gender role; these are called non-operative transsexuals.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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