Abstract
The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association's Standards of Care (Walker et al., 1985) set out minimum standards for the selection of patients for sex reassignment surgery. This survey reports on the standards and policies actually used by clinics in Europe and North America, including their areas of agreement and disagreement with the Standards. To our knowledge, there has been only one prior survey of gender clinic policies, and that was restricted to European treatment facilities. The present survey is aimed at primary caregivers in the medical community; however, it may also be of use to administrators in responding to increasing demands for accountability from special interest groups and from government, with their often divergent agendas. It is our hope that this survey will begin the process of developing more uniform standards of care.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Abramowitz, S. I. (1986). Psychosocial outcomes of sex reassignment surgery.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 54: 183–189.
American Educational Gender Information Service (AEGIS) 1991. In Denny, D. (ed.),Medical Advisory Bulletin, Decatur, GA.
Anonymous v. Anonymous, (1971) 325 N.Y.S. 2d. 499.
B. v. A., (1990) 29R.F.L. 3d, 258.
Blanchard, R. (1985). Gender dysphoria and gender reorientation. In Steiner, B. W. (ed.),Gender Dysphoria: Development, Research, Management (pp. 365–392), Plenum Press, New York.
Blanchard, R., and Sheridan, P. (1990). Gender reorientation and psychosocial adjustment. In Blanchard, R., and Steiner, B. W. (eds.),Clinical Management of Gender Identity Disorders in Children and Adults American Psychiatric Press, Washington, DC, pp. 159–189.
Blanchard, R., Steiner, B. W., and Clemmensen, L. H. (1985). Gender dysphoria, gender reorientation, and the clinical management of transsexualism.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 53: 295–304.
Botella v. Public Prosecutor of Bordeaux, (1987) Bull. Civ. I. no 116, French Court of Cassation, March 31, 1987.
C. L. v. C. C. (1992). Ontario Court of Justice, Court file #22562, Judgment August 25, 1992.
Cohen-Kettenis, P. T., and Walinder, J. (1987). Sex reassignment surgery in Europe: A survey.Acta Psychiat. Scand. 75: 176–182.
Corbett v. Corbett (Otherwise Ashley), (1970) 2 All E.R.33e.
Cossey v. UK, (1991) 2FLR 492.
Delvaux, H. (1993, April). Legal consequences of sex reassignment in comparative law. Report presented at the Council of Europe 23rd Colloquy on European Law: Transsexualism, Medicine and Law, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Eur. Court H.R., B. v. France, Judgment 25 March 1992 Series A, vol. 232-C.
Frances B. v. Mark B. (1974) 355 N.Y.S. 2d. 712, Sup. Ct.
Green, R. (1992).Sexual Science and the Law Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Green, R., and Fleming, D. T. (1990). Transsexual surgery follow-up: Status in the 1990s.Ann. Rev. Sex Res. 1: 163–174.
Hamburger, C., Sturup G. K., and Dahl-Iverson E. (1953). Transvestism. Hormonal, psychiatric and surgical treatment.J. Am. Med. Assoc. 152: 391–396.
Health Law Standards of Care. (1993).International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy, Inc., Houston, TX.
Hoenig, J. (1977). The legal position of the transsexual: Mostly unsatisfactory outside of Sweden.Can. Med. Assoc. J. 116; 319–323.
Kockott, G., and Fahrner, E-M. (1988a). Transsexuals who have not undergone surgery: A follow-up study.Arch. Sex. Behav. 17: 511–522.
Kockott, G., and Fahrner, E-M. (1988b). Male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuals: A comparison.Arch. Sex. Behav. 17: 539–546.
Lothstein L. M. (1982). Sex reassignment surgery: Historical, bioethical and theoretical issues.Am J. Psychiat. 139: 417–426.
Lundstrom. B. (1981). Gender dysphoria: A social-psychiatric follow-up study of 31 cases not accepted for sex reassignment. In Reports from the Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, St. Jorgen's Hospital, University of Goteborg, Hisings Backa, Sweden.
Mate-Kole, C., Freschi, M., and Robin, A. (1988). Aspects of psychiatric symptoms at different stages in the treatment of transsexualism.Br. J. Psychiat. 152: 550–553.
M.T. v. J.T. (1976). 355 A.2d 204, Super. Ct. App. Div., NJ.
North v. Matheson. (1974). 20R.F.L. 112, Man. Co. Ct.
Pauly, I. B. (1981). Outcome of sex reassignment surgery for transsexuals.Aust. N.Z. J. Psychiat. 15: 45–51.
Rees v. UK. (1987) 2FLR 111.
Rothblatt, M. A. (1993, April). An American perspective on transgender health law. Report presented at the Council of Europe 23rd Colloquy on European Law: Transsexualism, Medicine and Law, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Taitz, J. (1989). The legal determination of the sexual identity of a post-operative transsexual seen as a human rights issue.Med. Law 7: 467–474.
Van Iterson, D. (1993, April). International aspects of sex reassignment decisions. Report presented at the Council of Europe 23rd Colloquy on European Law: Transsexualism, Medicine and Law, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Walker, P. A. (1981). Factitious presentations of transsexualism—35 cases. Proceedings of the 7th International Gender Dysphoria Association, Lake Tahoe, NV.
Walker, P. A., Berger, J. C., Green, R., Laub, D. R., Reynolds, C. L., and Wolman, L. (1985). Standards of care: The hormonal and surgical sex reassignment of gender dysphoric persons.Arch. Sex. Behav. 14: 79–90.
Will, M. R. (1993, April). Legal conditions of sex reassignment by medical intervention: Situation in comparative law. Report presented at the Council of Europe 23rd Colloquy on European Law: Transsexualism, Medicine and Law, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Petersen, M.E., Dickey, R. Surgical sex reassignment: A comparative survey of International centers. Arch Sex Behav 24, 135–156 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541578
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541578