Castration law for Swedish transgenders

2 Aug 08

A new proposal to introduce castration as a prerequisite for those
undergoing gender reassignment surgery in Sweden has been met with outrage
by a leading gay and transgender rights organization.

Today, those undergoing gender reassignment surgery in order to achieve sex
change usually complement their surgery with hormone treatment.

A side-effect of the hormone treatment is natural sterilization.

However, hormone treatments may be broken off, whether permanently or
short-term, allowing for the possibility of pregnancy, as was the case of a
British transgender “man” who got pregnant this year.

The new legislation would prevent a pregnancy altogether by making
castration obligatory – testicles or ovaries would be taken out in an
operation.

The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights
(RFSL) and several patient associations have given a firm thumbs down for
obligatory castration.

RFSL has criticized the move as downright discriminatory and insulting.

http://www.thelocal.se/13448/