Transgender Issues: Should Sexual Reassignment Surgery Be Mandatory in Order to

[Shana A]

Transgender Issues: Should Sexual Reassignment Surgery Be Mandatory in Order to Change Gender Status?

April 18, 2012. 8:37 am • Section: Trans Talk
Posted by: Jillian Page

http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/04/18/transgender-issues-should-sexual-reassignment-surgery-be-mandatory-in-order-to-change-gender-status/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Having said that, this post is aimed at the global audience:

What do you think about the move by some to change the criteria for switching their official gender designation, in short, to overturn the requirement of having sexual reassignment surgery? I am seeing this issue popping up around the world, Sweden and Ontario (Canada), to name just two places where it is an issue. I know it is an issue in Quebec, too — some people want to be able to change the gender designation on their birth certificates without having to have sexual reassignment surgery.

What to you think? Should it be mandatory to have sexual reassignment surgery in order to officially change genders? Or not?

[Renee D]

To change the sex on your birth certificate, yes. But licenses, social security and such should be allowed to be changed without surgery. The latter items we need to get by with in daily life and employment.

[AndrewL]

I'm going to disagree you on the birth certificate, since some of us need it in our daily lives. Currently I'm applying for jobs that mandate showing my birth certificate, and thus outing myself. I'm a man, with male hormones, a neophallus and hair growth. Why should I need a surgery, that would force sterility and not change anything in my outward appearance to update my birth certificate to reflect my identity.

Also requiring surgery reinforces the notion that sex is divided into male/female and based solely on genitalia. An individuals sex cannot accurately be assigned based on a male/female binary, all overlapping continuums must be considered (chromosomes, hormones, morphological sex, phenotypic sex, gonadal sex, etc.). As long as we continue to state that surgery is required society will continue to invalidate non-binary sexed individuals and those whose sex identity doesn't match their assigned sex who don't want/can't get surgery.

[eli77]

Just like to again correct the journalists who don't bother to do any research. Ontario currently requires "transsexual surgery" in order to change a birth certificate. The definition of transsexual surgery is up to the doctors in question. Guys have had their birth certificate changed with top surgery, girls with orchies. SRS is not a current requirement here.

The change means that no surgery of any kind can be required to change your birth certificate. Also, I can't currently think of a use for a birth certificate in Ontario other than for acquiring a passport (the first time only) - the gender of which does not need to match the sex on the birth certificate.

It's essentially a symbolic change. Pretty powerful symbol though. And one I'm personally in favour of. I don't think legal gender status should be an issue when someone goes to make the decision to have surgery or not. That should be a private choice, not a public one. Besides, I was always female. The surgery didn't make me female.


Frustrating how much disinformation gets circulated about the legal stuff in Canada.