Transsexual

Transsexuals are often construed as belonging to the Queer community, and many identify with the community; others do not, or prefer not to use the term to describe it. It should be noted that transsexuality is not associated with sexual orientation. Transsexuals exhibit a range of sexual orientations just as non-transsexuals do. Transsexuals almost always use terms for their sexual orientation that relate to their target gender; for example, a transsexual assigned to the male gender at birth but who identifies as a woman, and who is attracted to men, will identify as heterosexual, not gay.

Transsexuals should not be confused with cross-dressers or drag queens who can be described as transgender, but usually not transsexual. Also, transvestic fetishism has usually little, if anything, to do with transsexuality.

Those who have not undergone SRS are known as pre-operational ("pre-op") and those who have, post-operational ("post-op"). Some choose to describe themselves as non-operational ("non-op"), indicating that they have not undergone SRS, nor do they intend to do so (for personal or financial reasons). A more modern development in transsexual theory is the notion that the focus on surgery status is misplaced, and therefore more and more people are refusing to define themselves in terms of operative status.

For male-to-female transsexuals (commonly abbreviated to MTF), transsexual women taking estrogens causes the growth of breasts, with concomitant enlargement of the nipples, and redistribution of body fat, among other changes. Permanent removal of unwanted body hair is accomplished with electrolysis or laser hair removal. For female-to-male transsexuals (commonly abbreviated to FTM), transsexual men taking androgens (i.e. testosterone) causes a shrinking of breasts, usually some enlargement of the clitoris, growth of body and facial hair, and redistribution of body fat, deepening of the voice, further muscle development and conditioning, among other changes. Some individuals choose to self-administer their medication ("do-it-yourself"), often because available doctors have too little experience in this matter, however this route is potentially dangerous.

Generally speaking, physicians who perform sex-reassignment surgery require the patient to live as the opposite gender in all possible ways for at least a year ("cross-live") prior to the start of surgery in order to assure that they can psychologically function in that life-role. This is part of a battery of requirements. Most professionals in the USA who provide services to transsexuals follow the controversial Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders put forth by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association. Outside the USA, many other SOCs, protocols and guidelines exist, although the Harry Benjamin SOCs are certainly the best known. There exists a significant and growing political movement to redefine the SOC, asserting that they do not acknowledge the rights of self-determination and control over one's body, and that they expect (and even in many ways requires) a monolithic trans experience when in reality there are as many different ways of being transsexual as there are transsexuals. In opposition to this movement is a group of transsexuals and caregivers who assert that the SOC are in place to protect transsexuals from "making a mistake" and causing irreversible changes to their bodies that will later be regretted - noting the number of transsexuals that believe that sexual reassignment surgery was a mistake for them is few.

The sex-reassigment surgery, then, is not always completed in a single session but requires multiple procedures and surgeries. For a male to female transsexual, the testicles are removed and the penis may also be removed (penectomy) as in the colovaginoplasty or sigmoid colon procedure (usually performed when the following option is not feasible), or retained and inverted within the abdominal floor to construct the neo-vaginal barrel. For additional vaginal depth, pubic hairs are removed from scrotal tissues via electrolysis prior to the SRS procedure which is then incorporated by the surgeon to extend the vaginal shaft where penal tissues alone were found insufficient. For a female-to-male transsexual, a penis is constructed, and the labia (see vulva) are united to form a scrotum, with prosthetic testicles being inserted.

Many Western societies today have some sort of procedure whereby an individual can change their name, sometimes also their legal gender, to reflect their gender identity. Medical procedures for transgender people are also available in most Western countries. However, because gender roles are an important part of many cultures, those engaged in strong challenges to the prevalence of these roles, such as many transgender people, often have to face considerable prejudice. One such case is chronicled in the movie Boys Don't Cry.

A few persons undergoing sexual reassignment surgery will adopt or provide foster care for children in the corresponding sex role which they have assumed. Societies are in some instances challenged to assimilate these men and women into their social institutions such as marriage and the role of parenting. Also, often children exist from the time before SRS. Many of these children stay with their transgender parent. A recent report shows that this does not harm the development of these children in any way.

Style guides used to publish more accurate information about the public and private lives of individuals pursuing or having changed gender and/or undergone sexual reassignment surgery to assist journalists or news reporting agencies to use the appropriate pronouns. Family members often confused about pronoun usage or the definitions of sex are frequently corrected by either the transsexual or the professionals who assist them as they approach that point at which they begin to "pass" as a member of the sex they wish to adopt. After this level of transition and development has been achieved, many transsexuals may wish to blend back in with other members of their new sex and will avoid revealing their past preferring the relative peace and security they find on the other side of a stressful and potentially dangerous transition.

General

Youth

Female-to-Male (FTM)