gender disphoria

[kristopin]

questions about transitions.

does a person who is going to get SRS etc have to be decared by a psycologist as having a gender disphoria?

are there any people on the forum that might consider themselves as 'two spirited' ?

[Foxy Basket]

Yes, no and maybe

Sort of - it depends who's doing the surgery, and also, who's paying for it.

The most-followed guidelines come from WPATH (The World Professional Association for Transgender Health) found here:

http://wpath.org/Documents2/socv6.pdf

Most surgeons won't perform SRS unless you meet these guidelines (at the minimum) and you're able to demonstrate substantial knowledge of the consequences and potential complications of the procedure. You also have to live at least one year in your identified gender, and undergo a year of Hormone Replacement Therapy; some exceptions might be made in cases of medical complications, but they're extremely rare.

If you're getting it done via OHIP, it's a whole different story - the implementation process still hasn't been finalized, but I've heard rumours that the SHC might actually be able to make recommendations in the near future. Right now, though, it's all CAMH, and even though it's been a year since it was relisted, I don't know of anyone who's actually received funding from OHIP yet.

Basically, don't make any plans for the next 2-to-6 years.

There's no diagnosis for gender dysphoria, but there are a handful of diagnoses that fall under Gender Identity Disorder. I have my own views about this (and I have vehemently refused to allow myself to be diagnosed with any sort of psychological disorder relating to gender identity or expression) but luckily, the SHC is perfectly poised to answer your questions in non-judgemental ways.

As for the two-spirit identity, I haven't heard anyone explicitly claim to be such a person, though I recall Tia saying she feels like she has traits of both genders. . . perhaps she can elaborate on this?

questions about transitions.

does a person who is going to get SRS etc have to be decared by a psycologist as having a gender disphoria?

are there any people on the forum that might consider themselves as 'two spirited' ?

[tslisaparadise]

questions about transitions.

does a person who is going to get SRS etc have to be decared by a psycologist as having a gender disphoria?

are there any people on the forum that might consider themselves as 'two spirited' ?

as for the surgury most reputable surgeons wont touch you unless youve been on horomones for a mim.of 3 years and have a doctors note .

[Foxy Basket]

as for the surgury most reputable surgeons wont touch you unless youve been on horomones for a mim.of 3 years and have a doctors note .

Sorry, that's just plain wrong. Please read the actual Standards of Care before you post incorrect information.

http://wpath.org/Documents2/socv6.pdf

Pages 20-21

XII. Genital Surgery

Eligibility Criteria.
These minimum eligibility criteria for various genital surgeries equally apply to biologic males and females seeking genital surgery. They are:
1. Legal age of majority in the patient's nation;
2. Usually 12 months of continuous hormonal therapy for those without a medical contraindication (see below, "Can Surgery Be Performed Without Hormones and the Real-life Experience");
3. 12 months of successful continuous full time real-life experience. Periods of returning to the original gender may indicate ambivalence about proceeding and generally should not be used to fulfill this criterion;
4. If required by the mental health professional, regular responsible participation in psychotherapy throughout the real-life experience at a frequency determined jointly by the patient and the mental health professional. Psychotherapy per se is not an absolute eligibility criterion for surgery;
5. Demonstrable knowledge of the cost, required lengths of hospitalizations, likely complications, and post surgical rehabilitation requirements of various surgical approaches;
6. Awareness of different competent surgeons.

Readiness Criteria.
The readiness criteria include:
1. Demonstrable progress in consolidating one?s gender identity;
2. Demonstrable progress in dealing with work, family, and interpersonal issues resulting in a significantly better state of mental health; this implies satisfactory control of problems such as sociopathy, substance abuse, psychosis, suicidality, for instance).

Can Surgery Be Provided Without Hormones and the Real-life Experience?
Individuals cannot receive genital surgery without meeting the eligibility criteria. Genital surgery is a treatment for a diagnosed gender identity disorder, and should undertaken only after careful evaluation. Genital surgery is not a right that must be granted upon request. The SOC provide for an individual approach for every patient; but this does not mean that the general guidelines, which specify treatment consisting of diagnostic evaluation, possible psychotherapy, hormones, and real-life experience, can be ignored.

However, if a person has lived convincingly as a member of the preferred gender for a long period of time and is assessed to be a psychologically healthy after a requisite period of psychotherapy, there is no inherent reason that he or she must take hormones prior to genital surgery.

Conditions under which Surgery May Occur.
Genital surgical treatments for persons with a diagnosis of gender identity disorder are not merely another set of elective procedures. Typical
elective procedures only involve a private mutually consenting contract between a patient and a surgeon. Genital surgeries for individuals diagnosed as having GID are to be undertaken only after a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified mental health professional. Genital surgery may be performed once written documentation that a comprehensive evaluation has occurred and that the person has met the eligibility and readiness criteria. By following this procedure, the mental health professional, the surgeon and the patient share responsibility of the decision to make irreversible changes to the body.

[saluki17]

Disphoria isn't in the dictionary. Can someone define please? Dysphoria is in the dictionary.

[Lani]

hehe..

Disphoria isn't in the dictionary. Can someone define please? Dysphoria is in the dictionary.

Saluki, it is just a typographical error from kristopin, I'm sure he meant Dysphoria, we do make spelling mistakes every now and then, I did it a lot.

[kristopin]

re: gender dysphoria

ok so it was a spelling mistake.

what i was trying to discover is the sequence of events.

ie:

self discovery of wanting to be a woman/or man opposite your body

talk to your MD

then what?

is it see psyc for evaluation and once it is decided by them (not you) then

back to MD for estrogen therapy (3 years i thnk someone said)

and then possibly SRS

OR if YOU have made the decision then is your MD obligated to offer estrogen therapy or refer to someone that deals with this and is it then off to phsyc for evaluation and confirmation of gender 'disorder' ( i hate that term) and then referals to doctors for SRS etc.
( i also hate the term genderqueer)

do you need the phsyc evaluation for legal changes?

OR
do YOU decide yourself and start making changes yourself, so you could decide you are female/male and start changing your clothes attitudes etc and just live your life the way you want.

ideas?

cheers all.

[tslisaparadise]

Sorry, that's just plain wrong. Please read the actual Standards of Care before you post incorrect information.

http://wpath.org/Documents2/socv6.pdf

Pages 20-21

XII. Genital Surgery

Eligibility Criteria.
These minimum eligibility criteria for various genital surgeries equally apply to biologic males and females seeking genital surgery. They are:
1. Legal age of majority in the patient's nation;
2. Usually 12 months of continuous hormonal therapy for those without a medical contraindication (see below, "Can Surgery Be Performed Without Hormones and the Real-life Experience");
3. 12 months of successful continuous full time real-life experience. Periods of returning to the original gender may indicate ambivalence about proceeding and generally should not be used to fulfill this criterion;
4. If required by the mental health professional, regular responsible participation in psychotherapy throughout the real-life experience at a frequency determined jointly by the patient and the mental health professional. Psychotherapy per se is not an absolute eligibility criterion for surgery;
5. Demonstrable knowledge of the cost, required lengths of hospitalizations, likely complications, and post surgical rehabilitation requirements of various surgical approaches;
6. Awareness of different competent surgeons.

Readiness Criteria.
The readiness criteria include:
1. Demonstrable progress in consolidating one’s gender identity;
2. Demonstrable progress in dealing with work, family, and interpersonal issues resulting in a significantly better state of mental health; this implies satisfactory control of problems such as sociopathy, substance abuse, psychosis, suicidality, for instance).

Can Surgery Be Provided Without Hormones and the Real-life Experience?
Individuals cannot receive genital surgery without meeting the eligibility criteria. Genital surgery is a treatment for a diagnosed gender identity disorder, and should undertaken only after careful evaluation. Genital surgery is not a right that must be granted upon request. The SOC provide for an individual approach for every patient; but this does not mean that the general guidelines, which specify treatment consisting of diagnostic evaluation, possible psychotherapy, hormones, and real-life experience, can be ignored.

However, if a person has lived convincingly as a member of the preferred gender for a long period of time and is assessed to be a psychologically healthy after a requisite period of psychotherapy, there is no inherent reason that he or she must take hormones prior to genital surgery.

Conditions under which Surgery May Occur.
Genital surgical treatments for persons with a diagnosis of gender identity disorder are not merely another set of elective procedures. Typical
elective procedures only involve a private mutually consenting contract between a patient and a surgeon. Genital surgeries for individuals diagnosed as having GID are to be undertaken only after a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified mental health professional. Genital surgery may be performed once written documentation that a comprehensive evaluation has occurred and that the person has met the eligibility and readiness criteria. By following this procedure, the mental health professional, the surgeon and the patient share responsibility of the decision to make irreversible changes to the body.

yu dont know your ass from a hole in the ground period.wake up that was 2001 and were not talking about canada dunbass

[kristopin]

canada

yu dont know your ass from a hole in the ground period.wake up that was 2001 and were not talking about canada dunbass

what are the canadian requirements?
knowing our health system it is probably (pardon the pun) screwed up.

but from what i have read the 'power' is really in the hands of the phsycologists to decide, if one wants SRS?

[Wiseone26]

what are the canadian requirements?
knowing our health system it is probably (pardon the pun) screwed up.

but from what i have read the 'power' is really in the hands of the phsycologists to decide, if one wants SRS?

As for HRT referral by therapist, I bypassed that due to already self medicating almost 6 years ago. The doctor classified it as harm reduction and started to monitor my blood levels and dosages.

Well BC requires 2 years of real life experience, I think that has changed to 1 year now, after that you get a psych evaluation from 2 psychiatrists from BC Medical. After you are ok'd for SRS they put you on a long waiting list. The province currently sends patients to Brassard in montreal. Now there is a doctor here Cam Bowman that supposedly worked with Marci Bowers that will be doing surgeries once he gets out of the funding red tape mumbo jumbo. But he hasn't done any surgeries for a couple of years, just some revisions to people already postop.

Currently I'm being delayed by my doctor and his lazy ass getting the BC Medical psych referrals. I might have to switch to a new doctor if nothing happens in the next month.


But ya the decision is pretty much made by the therapists, basically it's protecting of the medical system and also a level of protection for you. They want to make sure your not batshit crazy cause there isn't any going back after the fact.

hope that helps

[tslisaparadise]

what are the canadian requirements?
knowing our health system it is probably (pardon the pun) screwed up.

but from what i have read the 'power' is really in the hands of the phsycologists to decide, if one wants SRS?

yes i have 3 friends who have done the change in tailand and there sugeons want 3 years minimum on horomones and a note from your doc as well as your health records.nikki may think she knows everything but in realitty she knows shit in the real world period.

[kristopin]

canada

yes i have 3 friends who have done the change in tailand and there sugeons want 3 years minimum on horomones and a note from your doc as well as your health records.nikki may think she knows everything but in realitty she knows shit in the real world period.

so why do folks have to go overseas? is the canadian, i guess ontarian system so messed up?

[Wiseone26]

so why do folks have to go overseas? is the canadian, i guess ontarian system so messed up?

There are surgeons over there cheaper and one of the best surgeons for SRS is over there Suporn. Chettawett(?) has been getting popular. I know a couple of girls in another chat room that went to him and are really happy.

I think Suporn is like $16K USD and Chett is like $9-11K USD, don't quote me on it.

But by the time you factor in airfare and such it does get close to the costs here. Unless they go to one of the many surgeons over there that charge under $10k USD.

*shrug*

[kristopin]

costs

There are surgeons over there cheaper and one of the best surgeons for SRS is over there Suporn. Chettawett(?) has been getting popular. I know a couple of girls in another chat room that went to him and are really happy.

I think Suporn is like $16K USD and Chett is like $9-11K USD, don't quote me on it.

But by the time you factor in airfare and such it does get close to the costs here. Unless they go to one of the many surgeons over there that charge under $10k USD.

*shrug*

so i guess we are saying that the canadian system is way too expensive and the surgeans are not experienced enough in SRS.

seems like an issue to push on unsuspecting politicians.

[saluki17]

I wasn't trying to be a jerk, I was asking a legitimate question. I had not heard that phrase before and was curious what the meaning was. Dysphoria is defined as "a state of feeling unwell or unhappy". Therefore, it could be translated as gender unhappiness. I find that a somewhat curious use of words. I guess when I think of people who are interested in gender reclassifaction reassignment, unhappy wouldn't be the first word that would come to mind for me in describing the need or desire for such an action.

Very interesting. Oh, and the spelling errors on this board have reached epic proportions, not even considering the grammatical errors. I get a good laugh out of them, especially when one of our popular ranters like Barbie or Lisa writes.

Saluki, it is just a typographical error from kristopin, I'm sure he meant Dysphoria, we do make spelling mistakes every now and then, I did it a lot.