The gender realignment surgery of the subject of our film, 19-year-old Jamie Brown from Florida, shows how positive surgery like this can be for the right person at the right time.
In spite of the pandemic and being immunocompromised, Jamie managed to navigate complex US bureaucracy to acheive the gender realignment he wanted, making this difficult year in the end a very positive one for him.
But the question of when to have realignment treatment remains contoversial.
For example the UK High Court recently made a ruling that means it is now harder for teens under the age of 16 to take puberty blockers.
The plaintiffs in the case were a mother of a 15-year old awaiting treatment, and 23-year-old Keira Bell from Cambridge who said she should have been challenged by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust when she asked for puberty-blocking treatment at the age of 16.
Both plaintiffs said after the ruling that it would protect vulnerable children who are unable to make informed decisions about their gender.
In a statement Paul Conrathe, Human Rights Solicitor, commented, “today the court has handed down an historic judgement that protects children who suffer from gender dysphoria.”
This decision by three High Court judges resulted in the NHS halting new referrals for puberty blockers, amid resistance from trans and LGBTQ+ activists.
Here are some of the different approaches taken to gender realignment around the world:
Denmark and Argentina allow gender realignment surgery based on self determination for people over the age of 18, with Argentina making it a fundamental right. They do not require any psychiatric or medical referrals.
New Zealand just requires a referral by a specialist, whereas Canada is more restrictive, requiring people to have been taking gender-affirming hormones; to have been living as their gender for 12 consecutive months; and to have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
Many countries do not offer gender realignment surgery at all, such as Botswana and Saudi Arabia. Namibia goes as far as discriminating against trans people through criminalising activities such as sodomy.
In the USA some states require a letter written by a psychiatrist recommending the surgery, whereas other states are more restrictive.
The top surgery journey of Jamie Brown. from Rising East TV on Vimeo.
