Iran's Sex-Change Operations Provided Nearly Free-Of-Cost

The Huffington Post  |  By Sasha von Oldershausen Posted: 06/04/2012 5:14 pm Updated: 06/04/2012 5:22 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/iran-sex-change-operation_n_1568604.html

Although it has some of the strictest laws on sexuality and same-sex relations in the world, Iran also has a reputation for an extremely liberal sex-change operations industry.

According to the BBC, the Iranian regime recently made sexual reassignment even more accessible by announcing that health insurance companies must cover the full cost of sex-change operations, which can cost upward of $3,000.

According to the BBC, Iran performs more sex-change operations than any country in the world except for Thailand; the surgery industry has attracted patients from all over the Middle East and as far away as Eastern Europe. Official statistics for 2007 put the number of transsexuals in Iran between 15,000 and 20,000 people, with unofficial estimates suggesting many more -- up to 150,000, the Guardian reports.

In a country where same-sex relationships are punishable by execution, sex-changing surgeries may mean the difference between life and death.

That's really odd, I mean don't they murder gay people in Iran? Do they really accept trans people? Very strange.

Tessa, nice to meet another Canadian, I had my SRS in Montreal. I am from Alberta. Just between you and me though, there is no way in hell that I will ever go to Iran  The story is interesting though.