Reply To: Informed Consent Orchiectomy

[Dana Munson]

Hi, Penny!  There’s nothing “nuts” about being TG. (You haven’t been drinking any De Satan Kool-aid, have you?).  When I was young, evaluations by actual psychiatrists were pretty much a regular feature everywhere for TG candidates, exactly for the reason you hint at: there was a suspicion (very sexist at that) that a guy who wanted to be a girl was possibly not right in the head.  That is no longer the prevailing practice, it seems, but may still linger in some states. I am not posted on Florida’s current laws about medical treatment of TG patients. I can tell you that over this way, in California, no “psych” (as in psychiatrist) evaluation is required for the transition process to proceed. A therapist – totally different creature from a psychiatrist – may be necessary to offer input to the treating medical team at various times in the process.  For example, when I arranged for my tracheal shave (Adam’s apple removal), the plastic surgeon required a letter from my therapist opining that I was TG and a good candidate for the surgery. I will likely need another such letter from him later this year when – I hope! – I get my orchi done.  A therapist can help you work through mental and emotional issues surrounding your being TG – depression, anxiety, etc. – but they do not render opinions about a patient’s sanity, which is a medical determination strictly in the province of a psychiatrist (who is, after all, a species of medical doctor).