Essay Example on Gender Change: Steps To Transition to Preferred Gender Identity

Introduction

Gender change, popularly known as gender affirmation surgery or gender reassignment, juxtaposes operations aimed at permanently altering one's sex to the desired gender identity. The surgical procedure enables trans persons to change their physical appearances, together with their existing sexual characteristics, into their identified gender. Many Americans do not feel that they fit in the gender that they were born with hence their desire for taking steps for changing their gender. People wishing to live their lives as the opposite are known as transgender, and most Americans prefer to identify themselves that way, albeit it is not clear on how large the transgender can be (McMillen). The physical changing of one's sex may encompass complex processes; hence most people opt for hormone therapy alone, whereas others proceed into significant surgeries in the quests for making the transition. What is the motive of changing one's gender through operations, and are they usually satisfied with the outcome? This age of increasing gender fluidity, therefore, presents the reluctance in people to accept the gender at birth hence the need for taking drastic steps into changing it through surgery.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Discussion

Gender underscores one of the essential variations in humans that is either inevitable or desirable. In every society, both male and female children are often raised differently, acquire varied aspirations and expectations, coupled with their emotional experiences and work lives and pursuits of leisure. Those differences may be shaped by how children are raised, albeit the reassignment in the early lives maybe not only cumbersome but also problematic (Berber). Even in adulthood, it may be difficult and may only be of interest for medical purposes and ion shedding light on the differences in gender. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons released a report that on transgender statistics on national surgery, also known as gender confirmation surgeries underscored an increase of 20% of people opting for gender surgeries than the previous year 2016 (Mainwaring).

In contrast with the perception of people, the number of genital operations in transforming the male genitalia and reconstructing it into the female one or transforming the female genitalia and transforming it into that of the male is usually minuscule. Transgenderism may, therefore, be portrayed as hence a psychological disorder and not a biological one. With time, transgenderism and its medical procedures may increase owing to the societal promotion of this lifestyle.

Types of Sex Surgeries and the Ideal Candidates

Sex reassignment surgery is primarily divided into two. The first one underlies Male to Female, which is undergone by transwomen. This surgery is aimed at reshaping the male genitalia present in these individuals into the resemble of female genitalia, coupled with the attempts of providing functionality. The procedures here underlie, among others, Hormone Replacement, Therapy, Breast Argumentation, Removal of Facial Hair, and Facial Feminization Surgery (MedHalt). The second category is the Female to Male Procedure, also known as Hormone Replacement Therapy, usually undergone by the trans male who does not opt for reassignment surgery (MedHalt). That is since the tissue of the clitoris available in them for making a viable penile tissue is very less. The procedure typically has post-op pain; hence they opt for less extreme available options like Bilateral Mastectomy involving breast removal, Contouring of Chest to provide a male physical shape, and Hysterectomy that consists of the removal of internal female genitals.

The ideal candidates for sex surgery should not have any bleeding disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, severe allergies, severe depression, nor urinary and pulmonary diseases. Similarly, they need to have a positive outlook, coupled with realistic expectations, since most surgeries are never perfect. Additionally, the patient should also have a good Body Mass Index; their body weight divided by the square of their height should produce a range of values between 20-25. Finally, it is advisable to have stable weight before undergoing the procedures since excess fat in the operation area would be troublesome for the surgeries.

Causes of Individual to Undergo Surgeries to Change Gender

Individuals are motivated into gender reassignment by two motives. One is the homosexual category of men who are morally comfortable regarding their orientation hence viewing reassignment as a way of solving that problem. They feel that when they are women, then their sexual interaction with men will get redefined as heterosexual. Additi0onally, other people are motivated to reassignment by cross-dressing, whereby some men derive their sexual pleasures by dressing in women's clothing hence the need for gender surgery to identify with women through the dressing. Similarly, surgeries for gender change improves the quality of life of those who engage in it, besides the fact that it is essential for their wellbeing. Also, it enhances their better psychological functioning by providing stability in their relationships, coupled with higher contentment levels and happiness among them.

Moreover, people opt for gender confirmation surgeries in the quest to promote both the LGBT community to enhance their wide recognition hence allowing them to grow stronger and bigger in the community for economic impacts. Another reason why people opt for gender reassignment is gender dysphoria, experienced by the transgender people, which encompass marked incongruence between their experienced gender and assigned gender (Odunze). That may be characterized by gender upset and impairment both at social and personal levels, coupled with the change in gender roles, thereby opting for gender confirmation surgeries and hormonal therapies in the quests of permitting their outside appearances to match with their internal feelings (Barber). Similarly, people opt for this surgery as they report to feel different from their biological category hence express a satisfying feeling after the gender affirmation surgery. That allows them to be who they are; hence the motivation for affirmation surgery is driven by aspiration than the medical purposes that subsequently improve their sexual relationships.

Opposing Viewpoints on Gender Confirmation Surgeries

As much gender confirmation surgeries may be desirable for individuals who seek it, it may have opposing viewpoints. That is following the fact that the physical reaffirmation may be possible, albeit it may not be possible to produce the desirable psychosocial outcomes. Most people who undergo transgender surgeries at times encompass increased mortality due to increased suicidal cases and most psychiatric hospitalization. Additionally, sex change may not be physically possible as male and female organisms have different parts that are functionally integrated for the sake of their wholes like the sexual union and reproduction. Therefore, cosmetic surgery and cross-sex hormones may not change one into the opposite sex, albeit can only have effects on the physical appearances and the outward expressions of the reproductive organization (Anderson). It is hence scientifically proven that transgender men are not biologically men as transgender women are not biologically women.

Another limitation is the inability of production n by an individual after undergoing gender change surgeries. Also, after the surgery, an individual not only has to endure the physiocracy but also the psychological changes that may be cumbersome to deal with. Worse still, there may result in postoperative complications like hematoma that may require subsequent surgical treatment. Finally, one has to endure some complications that come handy with the post-surgery like nipple necrosis, and one may be compelled into a subsequent aesthetic procedure in the quests of reconstructing the nipples.

Alternatives to Sex Change Surgeries

There are, however, better ways of helping people with gender dysphoria like counseling, helping them manage their symptoms, and encouraging them to accept their feelings. That is instead of gender reaffirmation that may accelerate more suicidal thoughts, and increased mental cassette help for gender dysphoria should come handy with recognizing the wholeness of a person. Well being and an individual's flourishment. Additionally, children disorganized with gender dysphoria should be administered with synthetic hormones that aid in suppressing the naturally produced hormones by their bodies. Similarly, one may consider the help of cross-sex hormones that offer stronger and permanent solutions for individuals to fit better in their gender identities with transmen taking testosterone as transwomen take estrogen. That therapy will not only make them comfortable with their physical appearance but also with how they psychologically. Finally, Transsexual and ender dysphoria adults may seek help from specialized gender identity clinics together with hormonal treatments aimed at providing mental health support

Conclusion

Gender change surgery is an operation aimed at permanently altering an individual's sex to desirable gender identity, physical appearance, and existing sexual characteristics. That surgery is normally opted for by people who suffer gender dysphoria, homosexual category, and people who need to promote the LGBT community. Gender change surgeries are divided into two categories, male to female, done by trans women and female to male done by transmen. However, the opposing viewpoints juxtapose that transgender men are not biologically men, and transgender women are not biologically women, and the transgender individual can no longer reproduce. There is, however, some alternative to gender change surgeries that may help gender dysphoria like counseling and through therapies that help them feel comfortable.

Works Cited

Anderson, Ryan. "Sex Reassignment Does Not Work, here is the Evidence. The HeritageFoundation,2018, https://www.heritage.org/gender/commentary/sex-reassignmentdoesn'twork-here-the-evidence

Berber, Nigel. "The Gender Reassignment Controversy." Psychology Today, Mar.2018,https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-beast/201803/the-genderreassignment-controversy

Mainwaring, Doug. "More People Are Getting Sex Change Surgeries Than Ever Before, ButWhat Do You Think." Life Site News. May 2017,https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/morepeople-are-getting-sex-change-surgeriesthanever-before-but-its-not-w

McMillen, Matt. "Changing Genders: How it is Done."WebMD,2015,https://www.webmd.com/sex/news/20150422/transgender-homomes-surgery#1MedHelp "Know All About Sex Change Surgery." Medical Tourism, 2020,http://medhalt.com/procedure/sex-change-surgery

Odunze, Millicent. "Preparations and Procedures Involved in Gender Reassignment Surgery."Very Well Health,2020, https://www.verywellhealth.com/sex-reassignment-surgery2710288