Transsexualism
Transsexualism is a when someone identifies with a physical sex that is different from the one they were born with. Some transsexual people go from being a male to being a female. Others go from female to male. They change how they look and act. They see doctors who can give them drugs and surgery. They change their name and sex through the law.
People who go from male to female (MTF) are transsexual women. People who go from female to male (FTM) are transsexual men. The way of surgery to go to the new sex for transsexuals is called sexual reassignment surgery
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[change] Ways to go from male to female
Transsexual women can take female hormones. They may also take drugs that stop male hormones called androgens to make breasts grow, though it will not make beards go away or make voices higher. They can also remove their facial hair so it does not grow back, although this takes a long time and hurts. Some transsexual women with low voices have surgery to raise them, others try to make their voice sound higher and more female without surgery. Some transsexual women also get surgery on their genitals. This is called a vaginoplasty. This is done by making a vagina from the skin of their penis, which is turned inside out. Some transsexual women also have surgery to make their faces look more like the faces of women. Some also have surgery to make their breasts larger.
[change] Ways to go from female to male
Transsexual men take male hormones. This will make their voices lower. It will make a beard grow. It can also stop their menstruation. Some transsexual men look like any other man after hormones.
Some transsexual men have surgery. One surgery is removal of breasts (mastectomy). Some transsexual men also get surgery on their genitals. One surgery is removal of the uterus and ovaries (hysterectomy). Some may also get surgery on their outside genitals. One way takes their skin and tissue and makes it into a penis (phalloplasty). Another way takes the clitoris (which grows bigger with hormones) and puts it where the penis usually is (metoidioplasty). The place where urine comes out (urethra) can be run through the new penis. The phalloplasty looks more like a penis. A metoidioplasty has more sexual function, but it is 5 or 6 centimeters long. Some ways also make a scrotum from the labia. They may also have the vagina taken out or closed.
[change] Other websites
- Gay and Lesbian Medical Association: Doctors who know about transsexual people.
- World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH): Doctors, lawyers, and therapists who know about transsexual people.
- How the Tom Waddell Clinic A clinic that helps transsexual people.
- Hormones for transsexual people: This helps doctors learn how to give hormones to transsexual people.
[change] Notes
