Gender Transitioning: The SRS Debate

January 23, 2012. 11:10 pm • Section: Trans Talk
Posted by: Jillian Page

http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/01/23/gender-transitioning-the-srs-debate/

"I am not my vagina."

I saw that headline today over a review of a theatre production called The Vagina Monologues, which has been touring all over the world. The headline reminded me of the discussion we are having here about the "forced sterilization" issue.

I had promised my thoughts on the issue, so here are some.

First, I am glad that I am not tasked to come up with official policy on the issue. Because there is no one size fits all solution, and like the washroom issue, it is impossible to please everyone. There will always be people who think we should NEVER be allowed to change genders in any way.  And there will always be people who will feel that SRS should be mandatory to officially change genders, as is the policy in Quebec and many other jurisdictions around the world.

From the article:

Simply put: society feels that you must have a vagina to be a woman, and it feels that if you are serious about being a woman, then you would happily have SRS. If you don't want the surgery and want to retain those male bits, you will be viewed with suspicion. I don't see any of this changing.

If that is the view of (Canadian) society, then society is wrong.