The Unbearable Lightness of Getting SRS in Thailand...
 

I’ve just spent two weeks in Thailand on a biz-trip. At the airport I hit the book store to find suitable reading, and what do you know... a book titled “Ladyboys. The secrets of Thailand’s third gender”. sort of jumped into my arms :yes: In all fairness, I didn’t expect to learn a lot from that book as I do consider myself well versed in the deeper aspects of trans*life, however, it’s a very well-written book and especially one story grapped me.

It’s about a young boy who is clearly NOT transsexual but none the less by fate and group-identity (but not gender-identity) suddenly finds himself trapped in a life as a ladyboy-prostitute and is feeling pressured into the final cut – which he obviously deeply regretted. Mind you that I deliberately says HE, as I believe from his told story that that’s what he is. A feminine gay, maybe, but certainly not transsexual.

Had I only been there to guide him before making such a severe move... And this brings me to my issue: SRS and the easy availability in Thailand.

There was a time when I still lived in Europe – before I actually knew much about transsexuality – when I would hear Danish transsexuals complain about the strenuous psychological testing that trans*people have to endure before being granted SRS – and I would get upset and say: “Yes, that sounds unfair – they must know better themselves, so make it easier to get that surgery...”

Much bad can be said about the recognition of transgender rights both in Denmark, the rest of the west and the world, however, on this particular issue I do agree with a much more careful and inquisitoric approach before granting anything.

The reason I feel so strongly about SRS obviously is because of its finality – this is one surgery that cannot be undone – so it’s one you don’t want to regret.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s wonderful when a more mature trans*person after careful consideration and counselling decides to SRS and finds a deep happiness in that decision. But unfortunately I’m becoming more and more aware of the fact that this is sadly far from the situation in every case. And obviously an 18 year old Asian ladyboy (with or without parents’ approval) doesn’t have a clue to what this is all about.

Yes, transsexuality is far more common in Asia than anywhere else, however the vast majority is pre-op and unfortunately there are many examples of post-op regrets.

My personal belief (which may be irrelevant) is that gender identity sits between the ears – not the thighs and that it therefore should be much more difficult (in a good and sober way) to get SRS. Basicly, a young, inexperienced trans*person who’ve not even come to grips with her or his basic gender-identity can more or less walk in from the street, pay the 100.000 THB and walk out of there changed for life... that’s just not right!

To quote from the book: “...but how I wished that I’d had someone to offer me just a little bit of guidance in life”.

Again, if a trans*person after long and sober consideration decides that SRS is what she or he needs to become the person she or he wants to be, then all is fine. I remain, however, of the belief that societies put much too much emphasis on genitalia as THE gender-defining aspect, but that’s my personal opinion.

In my “journey” into the transsexual universe I’ve more than a couple of times met young (and not so young) m2f-transsexuals that showed a certain shyness in regards to their “male” genitalia and by very simple reasoning I’ve actually been able to change their mindsets a little bit, so that they began viewing themselves as transsexual women in a slightly more relaxed way where their penis was not a hindrance to their woman-hood but actually a part of it.

So I really wish I or someone else could have been there for the young story-teller, could have held her, could have guided her away from a decision that clearly hurt her... or him. It’s devastatingly clear to me that so many young transsexuals need empathetic guidance in their natural bewilderment.
I don’t have a clue as to how to give them this guidance, but it’s obvious that it’s needed to avoid dreadful mistakes.

A good first step could be for Thai legislature to change the easy access and at least include mandatory counselling by people who actually knows a little bit of the transsexual mindset (yes, there is such a thing).

H

Great post that I'm sure will spark off lots of sensible, intelligent discussion.

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Now, Hank, dammit. Are you ever going to use Facebook again or aren't you? :p

Seriously, I've been hoping you'll add me for, like, the last six months or whatever it is.

I'm glad you're still around!! :cool: :respect:

Well I think that most young people who make that decision are pretty much convinced it's the right one, even when there is 'guidance' as you put it. Some will go as far as lie to get what they feel is their right.

Even with psychological evaluations from 'experts' there are plenty who have regretted SRS. The problem is there's no universal method in determining who's mentally fit for SRS. You can have the best Psycholigist in world and it still won't save the ones that lament the decision.

The solution; The Transgered community needs to come to terms that there's always going to be a chance of regret and ultimately no matter how many stopgaps of protecting humankind from making bad life decision the responsibility falls on the person who ultimately decides to have SRS.

In short, those who regret, need to be reminded that it was their choice and they had other options (even if they didn't think so).

I'm sure that someone else will tell me that I'm mis-informed, but I though that Thai law had recently changed, making it slightly more difficult to obtain quick surgery.

eta: not enough posts to inbed a link, but thailawforum / sex-change-operations-law should be adequate to find the url

Dr. Suporn's site references a 2009 change in Thai law, requiring psychological evaluation and subsequent documentation.

I bought Third-Sex-Kathoey-Thailands-Ladyboys In the new Bangkok airport when over there 4 years ago.
It was only the first or second week after opening, so very shiny.
I read the whole book on the flight back to the UK, where my parents were waiting for me; a surprise all round as apart from them, I was full time.
Still it enabled me to fully transition. :)
Anyway, this book raised similar thoughts to yours about just how sorted young poor thai's were when it came to srs.

There has been a tightening of legislation in thailand recently re srs & orchis.
Now you need a shrinks ok letter. Though this is unlikely to be a restriction in a few back street places that do srs.

My friend, Evil Helen, is over there in Nov with sanguan http://www.phuket-plasticsurgery.com/. She is full time for 25+ years but has no supporting shrink letters. {tons of docs proving living as female for 25+ yrs} This afternoon at a gender shrink[dr kenneth Demsky] hopefully getting an srs ok letter, as I type this. :)

Yes, I've actually been informed, that the Thai laws are being changed. Good! I cannot give specifics as of yet, but let's all find out what's happening. It appears to be good news.

H

I actually agree with H's first post, and there's something funny about this that, I've personally felt sometimes.

I believe that, when people want something so badly, some of them become stubborn and aren't willing to listen to other options, therefore, there's a high risk of taking bad decisions that will bring undesired consequences or regrets not only for the people who took the decision, but possibly to those who surround them.

I've personally felt this, call it a second though about whether to transition or not, and it does makes things confusing sometimes :/ specially with all of the social pressure.

However, one thing is true: it's a very important decision that should not be taken lightly and that requires a lot of critical thinking in order to make a right choice. Transitioning is NOT for everybody, and we still need to find out more information about this subject. Hopefully, time and research will give us more answers ;)