It wasn’t so very long ago that the psychological community thought child molesters could be cured with therapies. The results, as we now know, were not good, but a lot of damage got done because of that belief.
I’m not a psychologist, but I strongly suspect that (except perhaps in the cases of true hermaphroditism, which I believe is exceedingly rare) one day this whole business or “gender reassignment” will be recognized as a big mistake. But by then, of course, all the damage will have been done.
Except it’s the ones who still believe that this anatomical problem can be cured by psychological means who were responsible for the Church’s position on both. I mean in particular Dr Paul McHugh, former advisor to the Vatican on matters sexual, who still believes that both paedophiles and intersexed people can both be cured by psychotherapy and prayer. We just haven’t tried hard enough, over the last 60 years, and we’ll find the cure any day now.
No-one believes the current surgery is ideal. Our medical techniques cannot give fertility (I say “give” instead of “restore”, as a significant minority of transsexual people have overt intersex conditions as well).
But without it, between 1 in 3 and 1 in 2 die horrible, miserable, lingering deaths. The rest just pray for death.
The problem is that a female anatomical neurology, and a male endocrinology and hormone system cause progressive neurological dysfunction. The patient can feel their mind rotting, and there’s no drug that can delay the process. Some anti-depressants can help the patient cope with the depression from knowing their mind is slowly disintegrating, but in general, the improvement is minor. About 1 in 3 suicide that we know of, with “accidental deaths” accounting for rather more, and stress-related conditions more still.
Here’s a
quote from a therapist in the area, describing the progressive dysfunction when “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”.
Secondly, “Dysphoria,” defined by Marriam-Webster’s Collegiate dictionary as “a state of feeling unwell or unhappy,” or in the American College Dictionary as “a state of dissatisfaction, anxiety, restlessness, or fidgeting” is simply too soft a word to describe the angst most clinicians see on intake with this population. At best it may be an apt descriptor for individuals who, despite strong evidence to the contrary, are making an extraordinary effort to convince themselves that they are sex/gender congruent. These individuals make life decisions such as getting married and having children not only because they may find it appealing to have a spouse and have children but with the added hope that this activity will ease or erase their obsessive cross gender thoughts. Although there may be instances where these special efforts succeed, (i.e. the incongruity is mild) the more likely outcome is a realization they have actually made matters worse. Typically, at time of presentation these individuals report that either their lives are in ruin, or they are very afraid that if their gender variant condition was to become known they would loose all that they cherish and be ostracized from family, friends and the ability to support themselves. High anxiety and deep depression with concurrent suicide ideation is common. One of the most extreme cases I have treated was that of a 50 year old genetic male, married and the father of 3 grown children with an international reputation as a scientist who reported to me that the reason he finally sought out treatment for his gender issues was because the number of times he found himself curled up in the corner of his office in the fetal position muffling his cry was increasing. That is not dysphoria, that is pure misery.
Hormones in sufficient doses to prevent this effect will change the body. This is especially true for the boys, but it sterilises both in most (not quote all) cases. The question then arises whether it would be good for society, and for the Church, to have women with male genitalia and men with female genitalia. Especially if they themselves feel that situation is horribly uncomfortable, and wish to remedy their deformity.
Even the Church, in its official policy (issued
sub secretum) based on the mistaken notion that there was no biological basis, has stated that sex reassignment surgery is morally licit “in severe cases”. This appears to mean all cases of transsexuality (as opposed to cross-dressing, transvestite fetishism, genderqueer, and political transgenderism).
