transgender surgery
Posted by: david
8th Nov 2010 11:21am
does anyone agree with this operation to be performed on an australian male soldier.who want's to become female.to be paid for by the australian government defence forces.
my opinion:::it must be quite debilitating for this young man to be male yet his mind is telling him he should be female.i thing the operation should be performed and the new female soldier pay it back with longer service.my only thoughts are this man has children and will not have a father as such.how will it affect them???
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Comments 23
Anonymous
If they want to be another gender, then who are we to stand int their way? They're not trying to stop us from being what we want to be, so leave them alone. They can't help it, it's what they want.
jonschaper
People often judge transgenders without understanding the situation, and have their preception effected by some of the stranger people out there (although we wouldn't judge all white males with the same brush because we know one who is crazy, many people allow themselves to become prejudiced against less familiar groups over extreme examples). The difference between a child being born a male or female has a lot to do with slight variations in hormones. Even after conception, there is a period during which the gender of a child can be effected. There are even some children who require gender assignment when they are born because their genitals could be either male or female. Sometimes the parents make the right choice. Sometimes that child winds up feeling there is something wrong with them and eventually realise they are the "wrong" gender.
Then there are others born with one set of genitals, but are mentally the opposite sex. These are real people who can go through extreme suffering and NOT people who change their sex on just a whim. Some governments help finance selected cases of gender reassignment after psychiatrists determine there is a need for it. I have a good friend who is transgendered. She was born a male, but from the beginning her parents and older brother could tell she was different. Once when she was 8 years old, she was examined by a doctor and found to have very high levels of female hormones. There was a definable physical and mental difference between her and other boys. She always felt like a female, even before adolescence, and could not stand for her male genitals to be touched by anyone. They were foreign to her, and she could not stand any reminder she had them. She was also only ever attracted to men (unlike, say, the "pregnant male" -- one extreme person who may have negatively effected the public perception of the transgendered -- who obviously was attracted to males before deciding to become a male herself). My friend herself is one of the biggest critics of some of these people who become shemales, or do it for some sort of kink, although I personally couldn't care less because THEY AREN'T HARMING ANYONE. You might as well condemn people who get tattoos or piercing or prefer hamburgers to pizza.
Nobody should stand in judgement of entire groups of people unless they first inform themselves or put themselves in the others' shoes for a moment.
Anonymous
I also agree that since its a personal issue and decission being made on behalf of this male soldier I think that this soldier should go ahead with the transgender op and live his life the way he wants and feel, however the defence force should not have to pay for this soldiers op. Im sure that theres many conflicts about the issue of bringing up our children with a mother and father its the proper way, BUT I know that wether you are gay, straight or bi sexual or transgender it doesnt make you less of a person or parent at the end of the day. This soldier should do what he he has to do and Im sure hes thought it through for years what consequences and permanent life changes come with such BIG decissions......
MandMm
I do not think that the australian government should be paying for this operation. If they feel that they should be a female, and they need to have the physical attributes of a female to feel like a female, then it is up to them to pay for the procedure. If I felt I didn't look right to fit into society, and, in my mind, felt the only way I would 'fit in' was to get Paris Hilton's nose, then I would not expect someone else to pay for it.
montypython
I'm all for transgender surgery, but I don't see why the ADF should be paying for it. I can't think of any other job where such a thing would be subsidised by the employer. And why should it? It's a personal decision, and unless it's somehow directly affecting their work life, it should be up to the person to pay for it.
I don't believe that having two parents of the same sex should be a problem for children (what about single parents? or parents' friends who have a major influence in the child's life?). I do agree that it would be a big adjustment for a child to have to make, to suddenly have their parent change so drastically. But if it's really what that person wants, the child may find that their parent is suddenly much more happy and free, which can only be a good thing.
muttley27
I agree, in my community I have met many people who are F2M (female to male) or M2F (male to female) transgendered. And in most cases, they do not feel complete unless they have the operation. Yes, they were born one way, but who's right is it to say no to someone when the only person who knows what feels right is the person who is in control of their body. The kids in this story is not losing a parent, she (he) will always be in there lives and if thats the way they want to live, then who are we to judge?
I say go ahead with the operation, as what was in the story, the defence forces has paid for women to have breast enlargements so why discriminate against people who want sex change operations.
chill
There is a need for this type of surgical intervention.It must be very difficult to live a life as one sex but yearning to be the opposite. However, I believe that there is no further case for becoming same-sex parents if in a relationship etc. Children should have one of each sex as their parents, as nature intended. I do not believe that the tax payers of Australia should be funding any of this type of surgery, nor IVF, nor breast implants etc. there are enough people waiting for life-changing interventions to improve their daily life, there is no room for cosmetic improvements, unless proven to be essential to the well-being of the person involved.
gorena
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.
Teegs
At the end of the day this is a personal decision that should be between this man and his family. If his wife and children support him then who are we to take issue with this decision?
Not sure our tax dollars should be spent on gender modification surgery.
Gerry1945
Well done people many sensible replies. One major point is allow the person to judge what is done to heir bodies such as circumcision another problem area where parents decice or religion when the male or female has no say in the matter.
Ollie
I find it so totally amazing that people have such judgemental opinions about such matters that they probably never experienced and have absolutely no information about !!!
Most definately, it is a personal decision..... live and let live !
I can only hope that such action resolves the lifelong struggle for that person.
I don't believe it will be paid for by the Australian Government Defence Forces. Don't think that can be fact. Doubt it would even be covered by medicare.
Just hope that person can find some contentment in their future life, whether as a male, female, or female in male body !
CPB
I think transgender surgery is very important; if someone chooses that they want to live as the opposite sex, who has the right to tell them how they should live. That person is the one who has to live with it. Those who want to be the opposite sex and don't do anything about it can often end up with depression and even lead to suicide.
The only thing I disagree with, is the ADF paying for it. It's the same as how I feel about the baby bonus; if you choose to have a baby, why should the Government pay for that? I believe he should try to raise money, perhaps through a fund/foundation supporting people who want to have transgender operations, borrow money... he could even write a book on his experience to make some dough!
Apart from the financials, I say he needs to do it, for his own well-being. As to his children, other kids have two mums! As long as the parents are open and will to explain everything to their kids, that's not an issue either, in my opinion.
queentulip
I feel sad for the kids and wife!!!
Benny
to be blunt i think there should be a cut-off. I've met an Anthropomorphic person before. that is to say a man with a female Brain. recognized, studied, legit. he would like the surgery, and i quite agree. some people can be born differently and we have the technology and the knowledge to alter people's lives for the better.
but such a drastic change can adversely affect those people around them. i think that it would be wrong to have a child grow up with a dad and a mother, and then have that change in such a way. i believe a child is meant to grow up with a stable mother and father figure guiding their lives. after the children come of age, do what you wish.
on the other matter, i don't see why taxpayers money should be spent on someone for that purpose. it's not the ADF's money. it's ours the taxpayer. perhaps a deal could be made for longer service, but to use a career in the defense force for the sole purpose of free surgery is outright exploitation. that's why checks are made on people for any job regarding illness or prior injury, so that work-cover is not exploited.
that's my two cents :)
CPB
I can respect your opinion. I'd agree that's kind of an old-fashioned way of thinking, but I know many people would share that point of view. I also agree that there really doesn't seem to be any proper payback, as they are already serving, and for them to continue serving post-op isn't really any form of repayment; that's why I don't think the ADF should be responsible for paying for it.
Benny
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.
CPB
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.
Buggy
I have an 18 yr old daughter who wants to become a son and the amount of things she has to do to get this to happen are amazing and since she /he has told us he has been much happier and I can only hope that it lasts
Steve49
I think that you should only have the operation if you want it
Gerry1945
I think we are born not to be tampered with in any way. Just because we feel like a man and we are a woman means it wrecks our wives or husbands lives and kids when sex is changed. So hard to make a 100% opinion.
CPB
I disagree with "we are either born Male or Female". What defines gender? Legally, our sex organs do. Yet, consider this: if a person is born with male genitalia, but physiologically, the structure of his brain resembles that of a woman, which might in turn cause him to perceive himself as a female, would you consider him to be strictly 100% Male? This is just my take on this. I think we need to consider more that just our genitalia in defining gender.
CPB
I don't think I'd go so far as to say "It wrecks our wives or husbands lives and kids". Humans are adaptable creatures. Lots of people have many unexpected or difficult situations to cope with, many as or more difficult than "Dad wants to be a Mummy".
Bernd
Gerry, I feel the same as you. We are either born Male or Female. Or in a the off chance when someone is born with both sex organs, then there is a problem. This should however be left for that person to decide when they are old enough to make an informed decision of what sex they want to be. Think of the many people who's sex was decided by parents when they were only a baby. They normally mixed up emotionally, and mentally.