Obligatory Castration for Transpeople?
A new proposal has been introduced in Sweden which would make castration obligatory for all people looking to undergo sex change operations. Although the proposal has been drafted for some time while Social Minister Göran Hägglund is on vacation, a final proposal will be presented in spring 2009 after he returns.
Most people who undergo sexual reassignment surgery typically take hormones and while those hormones do produce the side effect of natural sterilization, to prevent natural sterilization, people have had the option of not taking the hormones or stopping their intake of hormones either long term or for a short period of time leaving the window of opportunity for pregnancy open. This new proposal would not give people the option of ever becoming pregnant after their surgery or the option to stop hormones in order to become pregnant, as the testicles or ovaries would be removed in an operation upon someone’s decision to undergo sexual reassignment surgery.
The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights as well as several other associations have criticized this proposal, saying that it is downright discriminatory and insulting and I have to say, I couldn’t agree more with them.
Forcing someone to be castrated upon making a personal decision to go through a sex change is basically saying “Okay, you’re a freak now; you are tainted, there is something obviously wrong with you and we cannot allow you the faintest possibility to have children because of the environment that they would grow up in and because it isn’t standard, that automatically means that you being a parent would undoubtedly harm a child.”
While this proposal does not outline the reasons as to why Sweden thinks it’s a fab idea to directly violate someone’s human right to procreation, I’m having a terribly hard time coming up with a legitimate explanation as to why a proposal like this would be drafted in the first place.
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How sad. People are always threatened by those who don’t fit into what is considered socially normal. It is out of fear.
I agree with you. I thought that Sweden was pretty tolerant of these things. It would definitely seem as if this decision goes against their best interests.
How sad. People are always threatened by those who don’t fit into what is considered socially normal. It is out of fear.
I agree with you. I thought that Sweden was pretty tolerant of these things. It would definitely seem as if this decision goes against their best interests.
Okay – so – they say they want to go through gender re-assignment..so..what’s the big deal? Either they go all the way or they don’t, right? If they are a male wanting to be a female – then to do so wouldn’t they need to lose their testicles and vice versa? Just saying….
Okay – so – they say they want to go through gender re-assignment..so..what’s the big deal? Either they go all the way or they don’t, right? If they are a male wanting to be a female – then to do so wouldn’t they need to lose their testicles and vice versa? Just saying….
Huh? Where are you getting this from? How is this discriminatory?
This isn’t a decision people take lightly. If people want to go through the process of sexual reassignment, I’m pretty sure they want it!
How about all those people who are miserable and just want to get it done instead of waiting?
Huh? Where are you getting this from? How is this discriminatory?
This isn’t a decision people take lightly. If people want to go through the process of sexual reassignment, I’m pretty sure they want it!
How about all those people who are miserable and just want to get it done instead of waiting?
WTF Sweden? I had come to expect better from you!
Cutting people's genitals off is just wrong, no matter what the reason, if they don't authorize it. I'm putting this story in the “creepy file”, along with other forms of genital mutilation such as newborn circumcision and childhood gender reassignment.
WTF Sweden? I had come to expect better from you!
Cutting people's genitals off is just wrong, no matter what the reason, if they don't authorize it. I'm putting this story in the “creepy file”, along with other forms of genital mutilation such as newborn circumcision and childhood gender reassignment.