What is Transsexualism ?
Transsexualism is a medical condition that affects (depending on whose figures you believe), between 1 in 3,000 and 1 in 10,000 people, regardless of class, colour, religion, or socialisation. It is a condition where the person is born with the genitals of one sex but the gender of another sex. N.B. Sex is of the body, Gender is of the mind. It isn't learned behaviour so transsexuals are not persuaded to become transsexual by anybody, and many know there is something different from a very early age.
What Causes Transsexualism ?
Nobody knows for certain, however, there are several theories. It is known that every foetus in a womb starts life as female and remains that way until about the sixth week of pregnancy. Then the mothers body produces a rush of hormones, either Testosterone, the male hormone, or Oestrogen, the female hormone. The foetus continues to develop as female or changes and continues it's development as male. It could be said that every male child has undergone a natural sex-change before birth. It is believed that, in the case of people who become transsexuals something goes wrong in the womb during the ninth week which doesn't show itself until the child is old enough to understand the difference between male and female.
What Can Be Done For Transsexuals ?
There is no need for transsexuals to suffer in the late twentieth century as treatments are available. The first thing a transsexual would need to do on discovering there is something wrong is to see their own doctor and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist who has the knowledge of gender issues. You will usually be evaluated by a psychiatrist and a psychologist to ensure that you are transsexual and not a confused transvestite or a person who suffers from delusions. These tests are necessary for your own protection, and the protection of the psychiatrist, surgeon and hospital where you are treated.
If you are diagnosed as transsexual the psychiatrist will usually prescribe hormones for your correct gender. In the case of male-to-female transsexuals the psychiatrist will prescribe Oestrogen's, Progestin's, and Anti-Androgens, and in the case of Female-To-Male transsexuals will prescribe Testosterone. The amount of hormones used can lead to deep vein thrombosis and ultimately death, should it go untreated. The hormones will not reduce the amount of body hair or prevent male pattern beard growth, so another drug, Cyprosterone (Androcur), which is an androgen suppressant, is used to slow this hair growth down, but the only sure way to remove the growth is by using needle electrolysis, which is painful and time consuming, or by Laser, which can, on certain skin types, leave scarring, both methods can be expensive.
The next part is extremely difficult to start, but an absolute necessity. In order to progress, a transsexual must spend one or two years living in the opposite biological role whilst integrating themselves socially into society. This is called Real Life Experience (RLE). A male to female transsexual must spend at least one year living as a woman, working as a woman and be accepted as a woman in society to be recommended for the next stage. They will continue to be evaluated by a psychiatrist during this period. This can be extremely difficult as many transsexuals spend large periods without employment. The sex discrimination law prevents transsexuals being discriminated against in employment, but I can imagine that very few transsexuals will be willing to go to a tribunal where the press may be present. Some psychiatrists accept college as employment and, in Britain, most colleges have full equal opportunities policies to protect the transsexual student. If a transsexual is successful during RLE the psychiatrist will usually introduce a plastic surgeon to them who is a specialist in Sex Reassignment Surgery. The surgeon will have access to all your notes and will decide if s/he is to operate to rectify natures mistake. If the surgeon is satisfied, the operation will take place (subject to waiting lists and the medical health of the patient). The journey of the transsexual person is one of the hardest compulsive choices anyone has to make, there is no real choice whether to change ones sex or not, the brain is at odds with the physical appearance of the body and as the dysphoric feelings increase, the sufferer has to make the decision to change their physical appearance to reflect their feelings, or live as they are with increasing depression, severe personality disorder, often ending in suicide. The need to start the transition is overwhelming and never easy, even if to the outside world, the change over from one sex to another is inconspicuous, and to leave the life one has known to the strange one where new skills have to be learned is frightening and often leads to paranoia, isolation and ridicule by those who are ignorant and bigoted.
What About The Operation ?
The operation can take one of two general methods. The most common is the inversion method, this involves the penis being cut open and the spongy tissue inside being removed, the scrotum being opened and the testicles being removed. The skin of the penis is then inverted and fits inside the body. The scrotum is used to form the new labia lips and a new clitoris can be formed. Using this method the new vagina has to be dilated regularly to stop it from shrinking and\or atrophying. This involves using special dilators and/or regular sexual activity, which can be uncomfortable but it extremely necessary to prevent the new vagina from closing.
The other method of Sex Reassignment Surgery involves removing a part of the colon to use as the new vagina. This method leaves a scarring similar to that for a hysterectomy. It remains attached to the body throughout surgery and is self lubricating, which doesn't normally happen with the other method, although it has been reported by some patients who have had the inversion method that they DO self-lubricate during sexual excitement, this is certainly true for myself, and I had the penile inversion method, also, because the surgeon uses the tip of the penis (the sensitive part), to create the clitoris, full sexual arousal and feelings also occur.
Further information regarding the process of surgery can be found by going to my "Links to other sites of interest" page (Or click HERE) Then select the Anne Lawrence website, but please be aware that her site contains some very graphic images of the surgery procedures.