Transsexuale females, 1981
I. ter Haar
Coden: APYSA
Volume 64, Issue 1 1981 Pages 50-64
A follow-up study of operated transsexual females
Sorensen T.
Dept. Psychiat., Rigshosp., 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract
Not nearly as many female as male transsexuals have been operated on
in Denmark, although the incidence of male and female applicants has
equalized during recent years. Information from the literature is
sparse and mostly casuistic. Since 1956, when the first female
transsexual in Denmark was operated on, 30 females - examined by us -
have applied for permission to have sex-change operations and to
change their first name. The majority of sex-change applicants in this
country have been assessed at the Rigshospital. Among the applicants
eight were recommended for sex-modifying surgery and have subsequently
been followed up. The average for the follow-up period is 5 years.
Postoperatively, most of the patients resumed work and also got female
partners. However, they often had considerable problems at work and in
their life together with a partner. Likewise, if there are children
within the partnership, tensions between the transsexuals and children
are in evidence. All the patients had had sexual relationships
postoperatively, but for most of them there had been both psychical
and physical problems. Seventy-five per cent found that
sex-reassignment involved severe practical and social problems;
however, only one of the patients regretted the operation. It is
emphasized that surgery is a symptomatic treatment and the rational
reason for the operation is to strengthen the defence of the female
against an insecure gender identity. With relation to an earlier
proposed hypothesis by the author to the effect that the most
conspicuous trait in female transsexualism is a phallic character, it
is concluded that the postoperative result is best, when the phallic
character is fairly well-modulated, whereas the postoperative course
is more problematic for patients with an alloplastic character and
patients threatened with psychosis. With regard to the last two groups
it is recommeded to desist from operation.
Medical Index Terms: transsexualism
ACTA PSYCHIATR. SCAND. Volume 64, Issue 1 1981 Pages 50-64