Transsexuality

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Transsexuality is a gender identity disorder characterized by inverted sexual identification. A transsexual woman (MtF) identifies with the female gender, a transsexual male (FtM) with the male gender. These people have an agonizing and constant sense of the opposite sexual affiliation to that which their physical equipment forces them to. They are dissatisfied with their genitalia and wish to be equipped with the physical characteristics of the opposite sex. Understandably, they also desire the sexual role of the opposite sex. Own sexual satisfaction is important for some transsexuals, for others it is secondary. In any case, their main problem is the desire to change their gender and a negative relationship with their own genitalia. In the target opposite sex, most transsexuals behave heterosexually. However, there is also a homosexual minority among them.

Transsexuality is a lifelong problem of an individual. However, it is not so obvious in all life stages that it leads to problems. In childhood, transsexuals are conspicuous for their heterotypical interests and inclinations, as well as their heterophilia (gravitation to the company of children of the opposite sex).

The key to changing a sex role is a change in clothing, lifestyle and interests. Many transsexuals are very good at "playing" the opposite sex role. On closer inspection, however, it always seems somehow contrived and imperfect. It is not so easy for an adult to act in the opposite gender role. In general, women (F–M) in a masculine role seem to cope better than men (M–F) in a feminine role.

Therapeutic assistance for transsexuality: The basis here is psychotherapy. A suitable and high-quality therapeutic relationship takes a long time to build. Since transsexuality probably arises already in the prenatal stages of life, and since it is an irreversible condition, it is not possible to lead these individuals to deny deviance. The patient should be educated about the nature of his problem. Support in organizing life in the opposite sexual role is important. In addition to clothing and changing interests and behavior, it is also important to change the first and last name to be sexually neutral. In many cases, it is possible to adapt male and female patients to such a temporary and "partially" changed sexual role.

The stages of therapeutic assistance for transsexuality can basically be defined as five:

1. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

2. Life in the opposite (target) sexual role (in Czech conditions associated with changing the name and surname to a sexually neutral one), # hormone therapy (with the aim of inducing the secondary sexual characteristics of the opposite sex),

3. Surgical procedures (castration and modification of breasts and external genitalia) and finally

4. Definitive change of matrimonial sex.

The described stages are not always continuous. We know a number of indisputably transsexual patients who stopped at some of the described stages and did not progress further for various reasons.

 Reference 

Author: doc. MD Jaroslav Zvěřina, CSc. (priority of the Institute of Sexology 1. LF and VFN)


 * RABOCH, Jiří and Petr ZVOLSKÝ. Psychiatry. - issue. Galén, 2001. 622 pp. pp. 335-336. ISBN 9788072621408.

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