A LIFE RECLAIMED - The final symbolic step of transitioning

[toban]

"The final symbolic step of transitioning"
This forum (Tgirlforums.com) doesn't often consider F2M's but here’s an interesting read I found in this morning’s Winnipeg Free Press about trends in transitioning in Manitoba. It seems that in MB there is currently a trend towards more changes from F2M than there are transitions from M2F.

Our forum (Tgirlforums.com) appears to be slanted principally towards M2F's but I found this story very enlightening because of the information it provides about the surgeries involved in F2M transitioning. I link to it here since others may also find some of the information informative. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...254801321.html

The story includes several years of stats of both variants of sex change and a few brief case histories of persons, both male and female, who have made the decision to change, and some of the difficulties they encountered in that province with the process.

[Mark Hermetic]

Good to have information posted in here aswell, not alwaqys about desire

"The final symbolic step of transitioning"
This forum (Tgirlforums.com) doesn't often consider F2M's but here?s an interesting read I found in this morning?s Winnipeg Free Press about trends in transitioning in Manitoba. It seems that in MB there is currently a trend towards more changes from F2M than there are transitions from M2F.

Our forum (Tgirlforums.com) appears to be slanted principally towards M2F's but I found this story very enlightening because of the information it provides about the surgeries involved in F2M transitioning. I link to it here since others may also find some of the information informative. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...254801321.html

The story includes several years of stats of both variants of sex change and a few brief case histories of persons, both male and female, who have made the decision to change, and some of the difficulties they encountered in that province with the process.

MMM, thank you for the material toban, It's appreciated. I have recently been doing research into how Trans teens are portrayed in Young Adult fiction, as Gender issues are becoming more apparent to the education system in Canada and to parents, a very good step forward. I have much research on this subject but I will here post an article that sheds light on some disturbing information, but very important information. There are many YA novels out that proclaim ( and I'm speaking here of MtoF transition) SRS as the final and complete step for transition. The issue to contend with is that these stories are not exploring the many different and fluid gender identifications that Queer theory has opened up. The other issue is that when a teen reader reads a story, let's say like Julie Anne Petter's Luna ( a great story and the first YA novel to feature a Trans character, but problematic) the readership does indeed get presented with only one trajectory, that is adherence to the Harry Benjamin standards of care and SRS. This is fine and well except that SRS is allowed only after 18, but if the idea that this is the only way to " truly" become oneself is adopted when a person is in their early teens or preteens, than the dissemination of information can be dangerous. Below is an abstract from the article. I would post the article but I can't seem to upload any PDF files.... hmmm... if I can't figure out how to do it then I'm sure this article can easily be searched for.. if it's of interest at all.

Abstract:

How Young Is Too Young: Ethical Concerns in Genital Surgery of
the Transgender MTF Adolescent Christine Milrod, PhD

Introduction. During the last decade, the age of youths presenting for gender confirmation has steadily fallen.
Transgender adolescents are being treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues and subsequently crosssex hormones at early or midpuberty, with genital surgery as the presumed final step in treatment for female-affirmed (male-to-female) individuals. Despite the minimum age of 18 as eligibility to undergo irreversible procedures, anecdotal reports show that vaginoplasties of female-affirmed patients under 18 have been performed by surgeons, thereby contravening the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care.
Aim. The purpose of this article is
(i) to provide a review of salient factors regarding genital surgery in transgender adolescents;

(ii) to review various ethical protocols for determining maturity in gender dysphoric individuals under 18;

and (iii) to present a new systematic set of ethical principles largely derived from the surgical management of
youths with disorders of sex development and adapted to the needs of transitioning adolescents.

Methods. A literature review of the topic was performed. Ethical guidelines derived from applied treatment protocols of children with disorders of sex development were written.

Main Outcome Measure. Progressing from the current state of ethical standards and clinical assumptions, a new
development of ethical guidelines for genital surgery in the female-affirmed transgender adolescent was created.
Results. There were no controlled studies of vaginoplasties performed on female-affirmed adolescents under 18
years of age. A new set of ethical guidelines was created in order to support treatment professionals in their decision making process.

Conclusions. Professionals across disciplines treating female-affirmed adolescents can utilize the proposed ethical guidelines to facilitate decision making on a case-by-case basis in order to protect both patients and practitioners.

These guidelines may also be used in support of more open discussions and disclosures of surgical results that could further the advancement of treatment in this emerging population. Milrod C. How young is too young: Ethical concerns in genital surgery of the transgender MTF adolescent. J Sex Med 2014;11:338?346.

Key Words. Adolescent; Ethical Concerns; Gender Dysphoria; Genital Surgery; MTF; Transgender