There are some links to some great Youtube videos to your right under "Take a Peak"
The topic for this week is SRS (sexual reassignment surgery). I thought that this would be an excellent topic for conversation and an interesting subject to learn more about.
I will begin this in-depth analysis of SRS by providing you all with a brief definition of the following terms:
- Transsexual = an individual who identifies with a physical sex that is different than the one they were ascribed to at birth. (their biological sex)
- Transgendered = a person who deviates from the norm gender roles dictated by society. This concept pertains to the state of a persons gender identity not their assigned physical sex/characteristics.
- Intersex = combinations of male and female physical characteristics rendering inconclusive results about the biological sex of the individual.
- Hermaphrodite = a person whom has both sets of reproductive organs.
> SRS is also referred to as: genital reconstruction surgery, sex affirmation surgery, or sex change operations.
> SRS is part of the treatment process for gender identity disorder. Gender identity disorder is the formal diagnosis for people who experience gender dysphoria (discontentment with their biological sex).
> In order to access SRS an individual must obtain permission by a licensed therapist/medical provider and go through the rules governed by the Standards of Care (SOC) for gender identity disorders. (created by the World Professional Association for Transgendered Health) The SOC consists of 13 sections which address an introduction to gender identity, treatment guide/diagnosis, real life experience, surgical treatment, and post-op.
The requirements for an individual to receive SRS is a psychological evaluation, time participating in the "Real life experience"- living as the other gender for about 3 months or 3 months in extensive psychotherapy. Next comes permission from the therapist to begin cross gender hormone replacement therapy, then SRS.
*This surgery is intended to focus on the process of becoming a member of the other gender vs. details of the actual procedure.
The details for the surgery differ for transwomen (male to female) and transmen (female to male).
Transwomen may have a surgery that includes: surgical construction of the Vagina, breast augmentation, epilation (hair removal), facial feminization (altering facial shape/features), *voice feminization (altering vocal tone/pitch through practice-voice training).
Transmen may have a surgery that includes: Phalloplasty (construction of a penis), erectile prosthesis, masectomy, chest reconstruction (to the shape of a males chest), hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries with the fallopian tubes).
The APA says that 1 in 10,000 male born persons vs. 1 in 30,000 female born persons experience gender identity disorder and seek treatment/surgery.
Legality issues- gay marriage, insurance coverage for SRS, ability to alter ones sex on the birth certificate, states have the power to legal classification of characteristic sex as per the U.S. Constitution amendment 10.
Alright everyone I know this is a lot of info to digest but very educational! Please take some time to watch the YouTube clips above and check out MD. Marci Bowers website. She is the leading SRS surgeon in the United States and is located in Trinidad, Colorado. I saw a documentary on Discovery Health a few weeks ago and she is amazing....not only is she extremely empathetic but she too is a transgendered/transsexual person.
This information was collected by Morgan Hawes
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Impact of Marriage
On November 5, 2009 the Portland Press Herald posted an article entitled "Repeal of Marriage law brings relief and sadness" by Susan M. Cover of the Kennebec Journal and Trevor Maxwell of the Portland Press Herald. This article discussed the feelings of those who supported repealing the law which legalized gay marriage in Maine and those who opposed it.
On May 6, 2009 this was a bill that had been passed through the Maine House of Representatives, Congress and approved by the Governor. Maine had at this point been the first state to legalize gay marriage through the legislature.
On September2, 2009 supporters of repealing the law had collected enough petition signatures to place the issue on the ballot for the November 3rd vote.
On the morning of November 4th 2009 the Yes on 1 campaign declared victory by vetoing the legalization of gay marriage in Maine.
Bishop Richard Malone is quoted in a statement as explaining "These past few months have served as a teaching opportunity to explain to parishioners and the wider community about how and why the church views and values marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
Those opposed to the people's veto are quoted as being disappointed and sad.
Governor Baldacci stated "I want to get to the top of the mountain sooner rather than later...we are going to get to the mountaintop, but we have to take it in stride and one step at a time."
Opponents expressed an overall view of equality for all Maine people whereas supporters of the people's veto expressed an overall view of marriage is between one man and one woman with no exceptions.
I was a supporter of the No on 1 campaign; for equal rights of all Maine people. On the morning the results were tallied and the reports stated that the people of Maine had banned together and voted to repeal the law legalizing gay rights in Maine I was overwhelmingly sad.
I had been looking forward to this law passing. My partner and I are planning a wedding in June and we wanted it to be legal.
What people don't necessarily realize is that in passing this law it was just so that we could say that we were married it has deeper effects in our lives.
My partner and I pay and extra tax on my portion of our health insurance that is covered by my partners employer. If we were married we would not pay the tax.
When we decide to have children one of us will have to adopt our own child.
After our wedding I will stand before a judge and ask permission to change my last name. A right that comes easily for those who are allowed to marry.
When we file our taxes we must file as single, which we certainly are not, and one of us will have the ability to claim our children whereas the other will not.
Those who say "you have domestic partnership" do not realize that domestic partnership does not give us equal rights.
I am positive that this will be an issue that will be brought up again and again by Maine people to ensure equal rights are truly for all Maine people. Until then supporters of equality for Maine, will continue to spread knowledge and our voice.
We live during changing times; times of open minds and broken social barriers.
On May 6, 2009 this was a bill that had been passed through the Maine House of Representatives, Congress and approved by the Governor. Maine had at this point been the first state to legalize gay marriage through the legislature.
On September2, 2009 supporters of repealing the law had collected enough petition signatures to place the issue on the ballot for the November 3rd vote.
On the morning of November 4th 2009 the Yes on 1 campaign declared victory by vetoing the legalization of gay marriage in Maine.
Bishop Richard Malone is quoted in a statement as explaining "These past few months have served as a teaching opportunity to explain to parishioners and the wider community about how and why the church views and values marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
Those opposed to the people's veto are quoted as being disappointed and sad.
Governor Baldacci stated "I want to get to the top of the mountain sooner rather than later...we are going to get to the mountaintop, but we have to take it in stride and one step at a time."
Opponents expressed an overall view of equality for all Maine people whereas supporters of the people's veto expressed an overall view of marriage is between one man and one woman with no exceptions.
I was a supporter of the No on 1 campaign; for equal rights of all Maine people. On the morning the results were tallied and the reports stated that the people of Maine had banned together and voted to repeal the law legalizing gay rights in Maine I was overwhelmingly sad.
I had been looking forward to this law passing. My partner and I are planning a wedding in June and we wanted it to be legal.
What people don't necessarily realize is that in passing this law it was just so that we could say that we were married it has deeper effects in our lives.
My partner and I pay and extra tax on my portion of our health insurance that is covered by my partners employer. If we were married we would not pay the tax.
When we decide to have children one of us will have to adopt our own child.
After our wedding I will stand before a judge and ask permission to change my last name. A right that comes easily for those who are allowed to marry.
When we file our taxes we must file as single, which we certainly are not, and one of us will have the ability to claim our children whereas the other will not.
Those who say "you have domestic partnership" do not realize that domestic partnership does not give us equal rights.
I am positive that this will be an issue that will be brought up again and again by Maine people to ensure equal rights are truly for all Maine people. Until then supporters of equality for Maine, will continue to spread knowledge and our voice.
We live during changing times; times of open minds and broken social barriers.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
"Gay/Lesbians in the Military"
Hello out there! Welcome to March 7th post in Group 5's Blog>>> This week we are looking at the subject of GLBT in the Military I thought this would be an educational topic since Obama's decision to try to repeal the "dont ask dont tell policy" My question is what policy? Technically they are not allowed still in the military, but insted are asked just not to say anything about their private life. Is this still discrimination or protection?
Some facts to think about as you read some of the articals we found discussing this topic:
Gay's were ban from military service in the 1916 Articals of War, technically they were not enforced untill WW2 when the military actually looked for so called signs of Homosexuality. These included screanings for feminine dress, manerisms, lanquage, and also went so far as to check for physical signs through physical examinations and anyone found or even had a tendency was excluded from the military. And to day we have a don't ask don't tell policy, how is that any better some 65 years later...
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