With growing acceptance of diverse sexual orientations and gender groups, the world seems to be heading towards a new era. However, the complexities carried by some of the procedures in this era require logical comprehension.
Community’s progress
In their fight for freedom, the LGBT group has faced a variety of tribulations. However, education has encouraged ideologies to shift towards a more accepting path. This shift has led to the group expanding its acronyms and now came to be known as the LGBTQ+ community. While diverse sexual orientations and genders have existed ever since the inception of humanity, the methodology for constructing the latter has changed drastically.
Medical science has enabled individuals to acquire sex reassignment surgeries that assists people in transitioning to their self-identified gender. Although these procedures are revolutionary, social acceptance in this field has been relatively low. Modern science deems transgender people as normal people who have the right to lead normal lives. Ultimately, with modern science dictating much of the ideological landscapes of today, factual affirmations are starting to reinvigorate mindsets.
Gender affirmation procedures and their shortcomings
With acceptance rising in society, sexual reassignment or gender affirmation surgeries have made swift progress. The treatment typically begins with puberty-blocking medication to temporarily pause sexual development. These may be used for years and can increase risks for bone density loss. However, that reverses when the drugs are stopped. The next step of the treatment involves offering sex hormones (estrogen or testosterone). These hormones can produce permanent physical changes within the body.
One of the procedures for transitioning is called the transfeminine bottom surgery. Which involves the reconstruction of male genitalia into female genitalia. Although there are many procedures to perform this, the most common is penile inversion vaginoplasty. This includes a range of limitations and problems that the individual must deal with. They include, but aren’t limited to, discomfort in sitting for up to a month, avoiding strenuous activity for 6 weeks and dietary restrictions.
Valid concern
While gender affirmation surgeries have gotten much safer, excusing physical concerns, statements brewing concern have emerged. According to Reuters, A growing number of gender-care professionals say that in the rush to meet surging demand, too many of their peers are pushing too many families to pursue treatment for their children. This is done in the absence of crucial assessments required before patients undergo surgery.
These assessments are important. Since multiple cases are emerging, a lack of assessments may push patients with gender fluidity (whose gender identity changes over time) and patients whose main source of distress may not be persistent gender dysphoria into unnecessary medical treatments. Many patients, with appropriate assessment, might require psychological interventions to solve their case.
Transitioning into the future
While gender affirmation surgeries have kept themselves in contact with medical advancements, the nature of treatment extends far beyond the grounds of science and medicine. Appropriate psychological evaluations are necessary for patients to understand their gender identities. It is crucial to understand that transitioning surgeries are expensive which may lead to doctors simply operating on a patient without a concern for their mental health. Transgender people exist and deserve the right to lead normal lives. However, given the fast-paced nature of the world, it is crucial for individuals to come to terms with their self-identity before making crucial interventions.