ethics of sex change

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Ethics of Sex Change Operation:

When Biology Becomes a Choice

Soraj HongladaromDepartment of PhilosophyFaculty of Arts

Chulalongkorn University

International Conference on Human Enhancement Technologies, June 7 8, 2012,Singapore


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Outline Current situation in Thailand regarding sex

change operation

Directive of the Medical Council

Ethical issues surrounding sex changeoperation

Therapy or enhancement?


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Argument The line between therapy and enhancement is

becoming blurred. What has been thought to be

part of nature has become more of a choice,depending on desires and values.

So ethical consideration in this case dependson what kind of desires and values are involved.


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Current Situation Thailand is now a global center in transgender

surgery.

Factors

General hospitality attitude

Skill of surgeons

Liberal attitude toward sexuality (This attitude does not extend to those near the core of

power and authority so no transgender Prime Minister!)


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The first sex change surgery in Thailand was performed in 1972. Afterthat, the number of transsexuals has been increasing gradually andthey work in various occupations such as singer, model and actor.There is a beauty pageant especially for transsexuals called MissTiffanys Universe and it is televised nationwide annually. ThoughThai laws still disapprove of same sex marriage or allow no

transsexuals to legally adopt their new gender on ID cards andpassports, the 2007 constitution still protects the rights oftranssexuals and homosexuals, preventing them from unjustdiscrimination of any kind. In deed, Thailand is one of the mosthomosexual friendly countries to live in. As a child, TreechadaMarnyaporn saw herself as a girl, but in front of her parents, she had

to pretend and live as a male. She felt disgusted by her male genitals,so at the age of 17, she underwent sex reassignment surgery andsince then, she won the Miss Tiffany's 2004 and Miss InternationalQueen 2004. Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com
http://www.ericlafforgue.com/http://www.ericlafforgue.com/


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Directives of the Medical Council Patients must be at least 18 years old. If they

are between 18 and 20 years old, parents

consent is needed. Surgeons can only operate on those who have

been judged by two psychiatrists to suffer fromgender identity disorder and to have indicationsfor the surgery.


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Indications Successful living in the community of the

desired sex for at least 12 months

Having been examined and approved by atleast two psychiatrists, one of whom must be aspecialist in this area

Having been treated with hormone to adjust thecondition of the body before the surgery

Before the sex change operation other surgeryon other parts of the body not related to genital

organ reconstruction must have been


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Ethical Issues It is clear that the Directive is based on the

assumption that sex change surgery is a

therapy for gender identity disorder. Objective criteria that the person is a woman

trapped inside the body of a man (or lesscommonly vice versa). - but how objective?

The problem of consent is out of the question,but commercialism and the blurring of the linebetween medicine and beautification (or

enhancement) is at issue.


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Ethical Issues So is it right or wrong?

My medical colleague: Ill do whatever my

patient wants me to do!

(Aside: so long as he or she pays me...)

Some may think that this is wrong because it

goes against nature after all if you are bornwith a male body it means that you are intendedto be that way and that should not be changed.


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Ethical Issues However, if the operation proceeds smoothly

there does not seem to be anything harmful

the person gets satisfaction because there is analignment between what he or she feels to beand what the body really is.

Difference with other enhancement issues sexchange seems to be definite you can eitherbecome a man or a woman, but there is nocase of becoming more masculine or morefeminine.


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Therapy or Enhancement? The text of the Medical Council Directive makes

it look as if there is a disorder, which medical

science can help gender identity disorder. But to classify this as a disorder seems to

stigmatize the person unfairly.

This cant be looked at as an enhancementeither, because its a restoration of what onefeels to be normal for ones own subjectivity.


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Thai Law Even though medical skill and knowledge is

very advanced in Thailand, the law ha not

kept up with it. Thai citizen who has successfully

undergone operation to become a woman

still legally required to use the title Mr. intheir ID card and passport this is a causefor much embarrassment!

Cases of transgender monks those who


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Conclusion The line between therapy and enhancement is

becoming blurred. What has been thought to be

part of nature has become more of a choice,depending on desires and values.

So ethical consideration in this case dependson what kind of desires and values are involved.

There is some confusion as to sex changesurgery could be classfied either as a therapy oran enhancement.

ethics of sex change

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