Sex reassignment therapy
Sex reassignment therapy encompasses the medical procedures and interventions related to gender transitioning, allowing individuals to align their physical bodies with their gender identity, which may differ from the sex assigned to them at birth. This therapy can include various options such as hormone therapy, puberty blockers, voice therapy, and different surgical procedures like chest and genital surgeries. While transgender individuals may undergo these therapies to alleviate gender dysphoria, not all transgender people choose to pursue medical interventions, and such decisions are deeply personal.
The history of sex reassignment therapy traces back to the early 20th century, with significant advancements made at institutions like the Institute of Sexual Research in Germany and Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. today, many discussions around sex reassignment therapy reflect broader social movements advocating for transgender rights and understanding. The choice to engage in sex reassignment therapy is individual; for some, it may be a necessary step in their transition, while others may opt for social transitioning or may not pursue any medical interventions at all. It's essential to approach conversations about sex reassignment therapy with sensitivity and respect, recognizing that each person's experience and choices are unique.
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Sex reassignment therapy
Sex reassignment therapy is the blanket term accounting for the medical component of gender transitioning. Gender transitioning refers to the time when an individual begins to live according to their gender identity, as opposed to the gender that is thought to coincide with their biological sex. Sex reassignment therapy may consist of any number of options, including voice therapy, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, chest surgery, genital surgery, or facial reconstructive surgery. Transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from the gender they were believed to be at birth. Those gender assumptions are based on societal stereotypes or constructs that tell people how to look or act based on sex organs. For individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the psychological distress experienced when one’s sex and gender identity do not align, sex reassignment therapy may be a viable treatment.
Background
According to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, roughly 1.6 percent of adults in the United States are transgender or non-binary. Transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. However, the gender identity of someone who is non-binary is not exclusively male or female. Sex reassignment therapy is just one of the options available to transgender individuals, but not every transgender person utilizes such therapy. Furthermore, sex reassignment therapy can take various forms. The choice to participate in such therapy must be decided by the individual. Not engaging in sex reassignment therapy does not make someone less-transgender.
Sex reassignment surgery is the most involved form of sex reassignment therapy. The German doctor Magnus Hirschfeld started the Institute of Sexual Research in 1919, where the first modern sex reassignment surgeries were performed, as well as hormone therapy. Nazis raided the institute in the 1930s and destroyed much of Hirschfeld’s research. In the United States, Johns Hopkins University became one of the first hospitals to perform sex reassignment surgeries in the 1960s. Breaking down the term further, sex assignment surgery may include top surgery and/or bottom surgery, where the chest and genital areas are addressed, respectively. Surgeries may also be separated as feminizing or masculinizing and referred to as gender-affirming surgery.
In masculinizing top surgery, breasts may be reduced, and the body contoured to promote more masculine lines. In the bottom masculinizing surgery, a penis and/or scrotum may be constructed. In feminizing surgery, an individual’s top surgery may include breast enhancement, while the bottom surgery may involve the removal of the testicles or the testicles and penis. A vagina, labia, and clitoris may also be formed. Plastic surgery may also be used to feminize facial features and contour the body. Voice feminization surgery involves reducing the pitch-range of an individual’s voice and leaving the higher pitch-range. Although voice masculinization surgery exists, it occurs less frequently. Sex reassignment surgeries are expensive and not without risks; however, they could be a vital part of sex reassignment therapy for those suffering from gender dysphoria.
Hormone therapy and puberty blockers are also forms of sex reassignment therapy. Hormone treatments promote physical changes in the body while blocking others. The goal is to align a person’s body with their gender identity. Hormone therapy treatments can occur on their own or in conjunction with sex reassignment surgery. In feminizing hormone therapy, testosterone is blocked so that estrogen can stimulate secondary sex characteristics. Similarly, in masculinizing hormone therapy, testosterone is used to decrease the production of estrogen and halt menstruation. Hormone therapy most often occurs after an individual has gone through puberty. However, there are exceptions. Debate surrounds the use of puberty blockers (hormone therapy that essentially stops puberty), with opponents arguing that children should be allowed to experience puberty and take more time in making such a major decision. Proponents of puberty blockers, however, state that in severe cases of gender dysphoria, puberty blockers are a viable option.
Topic Today
In 2017, Caitlyn Jenner spoke openly about her gender reassignment therapy in her book, The Secrets of My New Life. Jenner was quick to point out that discussions surrounding the reassignment therapy and surgery are very personal. Surgery does not come without risks or a hefty price tag. For many, surgery is not an option or a desired result. Instead, a person may choose more of a social transition, opting to wear specific clothing or be called by a specific name or set of pronouns. Going a step further, an individual may choose to legally change their name and sex on legal documents. Finally, they may undergo sex reassignment therapy, which can include hormone replacement and/or surgery. To question a transgender person about the types of sex reassignment therapy they may have had is considered inappropriate.
Prior to Jenner publicly coming out in 2015 as a trans woman, Chaz Bono came out as a trans man and introduced the term transgender to many who may have not previously understood the term. The child of entertainers Sonny Bono and Cher, Chaz made headlines when they announced they were transgender. Bono had sex reassignment therapy, specifically surgery, though he did not reveal all details surrounding which surgery he had. The documentary, Becoming Chaz, discusses Bono’s transition. In 2011, Bono appeared on the television show Dancing with the Stars. His appearance was the first time an openly transgender individual was featured on television for something other than being transgender.
Bibliography
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“Feminizing Hormone Therapy.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/feminizing-hormone-therapy/about/pac-20385096. Accessed 21 Aug. 2022.
“Feminizing Surgery.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/feminizing-surgery/about/pac-20385102. Accessed 21 Aug. 2022.
“Frequently Asked Questions about Transgender People.” National Center for Transgender Equality, 9 July 2016, transequality.org/issues/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-transgender-people. Accessed 21 Aug. 2022.
“Masculinizing Hormone Therapy.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/masculinizing-hormone-therapy/about/pac-20385099. Accessed 21 Aug. 2022.
“Masculinizing Surgery.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/masculinizing-surgery/about/pac-20385105. Accessed 21 Aug. 2022.
“What Is Gender Dysphoria?” American Psychiatric Association, Aug. 2022, psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria. Accessed 21 Aug. 2022.