What Influences People to Subscribe to Gender Transition?
- By: Anane Kyeremeh
- Aug 4, 2015
- 7 min read
However, in contemporary global societies; the issue of sex change and transgender surgeries keeps
happening day after day, and seem to be getting closer to us surprisingly. The more intriguing aspect of this phenomenon is that, it doesn’t seem to make sense; for someone naturally born with complete female features to want to undergo procedures to become a complete male and vice versa.
My research into this contentious topic, has afforded me an opportunity to make considerations to the effect that, it might not make sense on the face value to trans-gender, but there are genuine challenges that could prove logical for some men; born with male features to want to become a pretty and sexy lady one day.
The cabin crew has fully prepared it for a take off, and the pilot is ready to entreat us to a comfortable flight; so fasten your seat belt, switch off you mobile handset and all active electronic gadgets like computers, tablets and what have you, and remember to pull up your parachutes in case of emergency, but until then, I wish you a safe flight in the next 30-45 minutes nonstop.
The History of Transgender Surgery
The individual whose sex reassignment surgery became most popular in the early days was Lili Elbe. He underwent five major operations including penectomy, orchiectomy and vaginoplasty in Germany in 1930; however, Lili died “a woman”, after three months of her fifth surgery.
Penectomy is the removal of one’s penis through surgery, Orchiectomy or orchidectomy is the removal of one or both testicles through surgery, and Vaginoplasty is the process of constructing or reconstruction of vaginal canal together with its mucus membrane and vulvo-Vaginal structures that might be nonexistent or damaged as a result of congenital diseases.
Christine Jorgensen also changed from man to woman in Denmark in 1952 and advocated massively for the rights of transgender people. In the middle of 1970’s Renee Richards also transformed from male to female through surgical procedures and joined the advocacy for the recognition of transgender people. The United States had its first male to female sex reassignment surgery in 1966 at the John Hopkins University medical centre.
Processes and procedures in male to female sex reassignment
When a man wants to vary his sex anatomically to female; his testicles are removed, and the skin of foreskin (when uncircumcised) together with his penis is inverted or turned the wrong way up; as a flap. This is a technique in vaginoplasty; to preserve blood and nerve supplies to form a fully sensitive vagina. The surgeon uses part of the penis glands to form a clitoris fully supplied with active nerve endings. If it happens that the surgeon’s technique would require more skin in the construction of the labia minora, the pubic hair follicles are removed from some of the scrotal tissue; to be incorporated within the vagina. The rest of the scrotal tissues are used to construct the labia majora.
In most cases there is sufficient skin for these procedures, conversely in cases of skin shortage or failure of vaginoplasty, Skin grafts from the thighs or hips or section of the colon could be grafted in place. In all these procedures, the degree of sensation in the constructed vagina is reasonably comparative with that of majority of biological women; so as to condition the equivalent vaginal pleasure as pertains in natural women.
A minor surgery termed “labiaplasty”, is also required after recovery of tissues, blood and nerve supplies. This is necessary for cosmetic refining of the outer vulva because of the artificial construction. Also because the human body has to respond to the newly constructed vagina as a wound, there is the need for long term maintenance of the vagina before sexual intercourse. It is advisable to keep the new vagina open with the insertion of dildos and regular application of estrogen to inspire natural lubrication and maintenance of the desired vaginal diameter.
The current procedures being administered by sex reassignment surgeons, do not construct ovaries and uteri for trans- women; and as a result they are unable to menstruate or bear children. Trans- women however, have to hang on to hormone therapy after surgery to enjoy the same level of hormonal status as their biological counterparts.
Other related procedures
The formation of vagina alone is not sufficient for one man to assume a fully woman status; because a woman’s physical appearance is far dissimilar to that of a man; so areas like hair growth, vocal purity, breast enhancement and the texture of the buttocks, needs to be given a touch to conform to the new norm.
Facial Feminization is one of such surgeries that cannot be escaped. It involves cosmetic procedures aimed at modifying bone or cartilage structures; especially in the cheek, forehead and nose, jaw and brow areas.
Usually, hormone therapy is able to induce breast growth for most trans-women, especially those who require one to two cup sizes. Conversely, if hormone therapy fails to produce the desired results, breast augmentation procedures come to the rescue. The administration of Estrogen will enhance breasts, hips and buttocks, while the growth of actual milk glands is catalyzed by the injection of progesterone. Progesterone is also responsible for rounding the breast and growing it to fair maturity as well as darkening the areola (small pigmented skin around the nipple).
Some trans-women also desire to change their voice range or pitch to suit their feminine features, and in such instances elect to undergo voice surgery or result to speech feminization lessons. The appearance of the Adam’s apple is also controlled through Tracheal Shave; a procedure which reduces the cartilage in the throat area to more feminine dimensions.
Sometimes buttock augmentation comes in when; hormonal therapy is unable to produce the desired results for trans-women who require big butts and large hips.
Processes and procedures in female to male sex reassignment
A lot of women who opt to undergo procedures to become men, do not desire to change their outer sex organ, “do not remove their Vagina for Penis replacement) but rather choose to remove their internal sex organs, “remove their uterus and ovaries”. However, surgery options from female to male include mastectomy, chest contouring and hysterectomy.
Mastectomy is removal of the breast through surgery, Chest contouring is performing surgical procedures to conform the female chest area to that of typical male chest shape, and Hysterectomy is the removal of the internal sex organs (uterus and ovaries) through surgery. Females who have large breasts or moderate ones are made to undergo bilateral mastectomy with grafting and reconstruction of the nipple and areola. This procedure normally allows for easy reshaping of the nipple and its placement in a typical male position.
In the case of a minor fraction of trans-men who choose to undergo sex reassignment; the following procedures are available.
Usually sex reassignment surgery is preceded by the administration of testosterone as a necessary hormonal treatment to prepare the female anatomy for the transition. In the performance of Genital Reconstruction Procedures; surgeons use the Clitoris or free tissue grafts from the thigh, belly or arm, together with erectile prosthesis, “Phalloplasty”, for the formation of penis for trans-men. In the process of using the clitoris, the little organ is enlarged by androgenic hormones to obtain the desired size penis. In both scenarios of using the clitoris or tissue grafts, the urethra can be rerouted through the phallus or penis, to enable trans-men urinate through their newly constructed penis.
A scrotum is formed from combining the two halves of the labia majora; whereas testicles are also made from prosthesis to give the trans-man a complete male sex -organ appearance.
Reasons for gender transition
The main syndrome associated with transsexuals is “Gender Identity Disorder”. GID is a formal diagnosis given by psychologists and physicians to an individual who is significantly discontent with the sex and gender assigned by birth. Such individuals feel trapped in the wrong anatomy, (a girl who fells trapped in a boy’s body and vice versa). Persons who harbor this experience desire to live as members of the opposite sex, and resort to dressing and life style and mannerisms of the opposite gender. It is therefore not surprising that; majority of those who subscribe to gender transition happen to be gay; because homosexuals experience the same or similar disapproval with their sexual orientation.
Several other reasons like genetics, brain structure and its function, and prenatal androgen exposure has been cited as basis or influence for gender transition; however, complex researchers have found it very difficult to establish a clear understanding for this phenomenon.
Effects of transgender operations
There are myriad of problems associated with transsexual or transgender surgeries, even in contemporary societies, and I want to share just a few; in the context of this discussion.
Firstly, Surgery is sometimes able to fix the physical appearance issue, but fails to solve the underlying delusional psychological problems that cause the request for the surgery.
Secondly, transgender surgeries carry a very high risk of mortality to patients. Below are the rest (though not conclusive), of effects of transgender operations;
Transsexuals experience suicidal behavior than those who have not undergone the treatment.
There is no guarantee for improved lives after sex change operations.
Research suggests that gender reassignment surgeries are clinically ineffective.
Transsexuals are more prone to psychiatric morbidity.
Medication for Gender reassignment does not end after surgery; as there are incessant medical review sessions for patients all the time.
In some cases there is surgery failure; as the immune system rejects the newly constructed organs; causing corrective surgeries to endanger the lives of patients.
Transgender operations are very expensive; with a questionable success rate.
Conclusion
I have tried to understand the underlining reasons that influences people; to subscribe to gender transition; and obtained reliably sufficient understanding of this mystery. In just the same way I delved into Homosexuality to ascertain the causative organism; I can confidently and reliably conclude that, the fire of influence for gender reassignment is fueled by Satan himself. He has demonstrated that, what God said is impossible or unwholesome is false and deceptive. But let’s remind ourselves of the scriptures, proverbs 14:12 reads, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death”.
Let’s educate our children and the society; to desist from enticement of the Devil in these times.
Stay Blessed!!!
Author: Anane Kyeremeh
Anane Kyeremeh is a freelance writer, Radio Presenter and a Business Analyst and he currently serves as the Commercial Manager of Far East Mercantile Limited - Kumasi
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+233-20-121-1286
Email:kyeremehkyeremeh@yahoo.com
