INCOMPLETE SEX-REASSIGNMENT SURGERY AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Abstract

Sex reassignment surgery is a process which includes a decision to change one’s biological sex through the use of medical intervention. Trans-sexualism is a condition in which a person experiences a discontinuity between their assigned sex and what they feel their core gender is. For example, a person who was identified as “female” at birth, raised as a girl, and has lived being perceived by others as a” woman”, may feel that their core sense of who they are is a closer fit with “male”. If this sense is strong and persistent, this person may decide to take steps to ensure that others perceive them as a man. The impact of gender affirming surgery on interpersonal relationships was studied and presented. The research question was: How does an individual with incomplete sex change surgery experience him/herself in relationships with males and females? The predominant finding was one of a mixed clinical picture wherein although the sex change does bring satisfaction in one area of their lives, it also raises dissatisfaction when it comes to other aspects of their lives. Psychotherapy and surgical intervention are to be considered jointly in order to aid effective integration for individuals considering such an option.