Everything about gender reassignment in Iran
Transgender
gender reassignment in Iran, whether from male to female or from female to male, is a very complex process, including psychiatric evaluations, psychotherapy, hormone therapy, and finally surgery. Gender reassignment is an irreversible surgery, so people who intend to perform this surgery should carefully consider all aspects of it. In the following, we will get to know more about gender reassignment in Iran, its methods, its types, and possible complications caused by surgery.
What is gender reassignment?
gender reassignment in Iran is a surgery that is performed to change the gender of people with gender dysphoria to their desired gender. Sex reassignment in English is equivalent to Sex Reassignment and sex reassignment in English is equivalent to Sex Reassignment Surgery.
People with gender dysphoria feel like they were born in the wrong gender. For example, a person who is biologically male is more likely to identify as a female and vice versa.
Surgery is often the last step in the gender reassignment process, however, gender reassignment in Iran is a heavy and irreversible surgery that the decision to perform in the final stages of the gender reassignment process is not so simple. In many cases, it is necessary for people who have previously been diagnosed as suffering from sexual disorder to undergo counseling to confirm their readiness to undergo gender reassignment in Iran.
Patients usually undergo hormone therapy first. Hormone therapy, by suppressing secondary sexual traits, makes a person suffering from sexual disorder look more like their desired sex. For example, the use of androgens in women causes the growth of facial hair, or the use of estrogen and anti-androgen drugs in men causes the development of feminine characteristics.
Sometimes patients are asked to live in their desired gender for a period of time, for example one year, before surgery. For example, a man with gender dysphoria may start dressing as a woman, change his name, and use female pronouns to address himself in conversations.
Differences between gender reassignment in women and men
Gender reassignment itself involves several surgeries. In male-to-female gender reassignment in Iran, the testicles and penis are removed, as well as the prostate gland. Then, the penile tissue is used to make the vagina and clitoris. The scrotum is used to make the lips around the vagina. The urethra, which carries urine out of the bladder, must also be shortened. Many men with sexual dysphoria, in addition to genital surgery, perform feminization surgery in other body areas, such as: changing the shape of the lips, eyes, and nose.
Sex reassignment surgery from female to male is more complicated and expensive. The breasts and organs of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries and uterus, are removed and the vagina is closed. The penis and scrotum may be made from other tissue, such as the intestine. In some cases, penile implants are used. The urethra is stretched, so that the patient can urinate while standing after gender change.
Continuing psychotherapy is recommended for most patients to adapt to their new body and lifestyle. Not all people with sexual disorders undergo gender reassignment in Iran. Some feel comfortable living as the opposite sex without having surgery. Others find that hormone therapy is sufficient for their personal needs.
What is sexual disorder or dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is a term used to describe the feeling of dissatisfaction caused by a mismatch between sexual identity and biological sex. This feeling of dissatisfaction can be so intense that it causes severe depression and anxiety in a person and disrupts his daily life.
Gender identity refers to a person’s feelings about himself and how he views and describes himself. Many people do not feel conflict between their sexual identity and their biological sex, but some people do feel conflict between their sexual identity and their biological sex. These people have sexual disorder or sexual dysphoria.
Symptoms of sexual dysphoria
From the symptoms of sexual dysphoria, we can mention the difference in a person’s appearance, behavior and interests compared to other people of the same sex. It is possible that the symptoms caused by stress and depression caused by sexual disturbance may also appear in a person, among these symptoms, the following can be mentioned.
- Low self-confidence
- Social isolation and seclusion
- Severe anxiety and depression
- Lack of attention to yourself
Symptoms in children can be in the form of a child’s desire for clothes and toys of the opposite sex. This symptom is normal in children and is a part of the child’s growth process, however, the intensity of these symptoms is greater in some people and the symptoms are longer lasting. In these children, sexual dysphoria should be considered.
Treatment for sexual dysfunction varies from person to person, and for some people, treatment may simply involve accepting and validating their identity. For others, it may involve larger changes such as voice changes, hormone therapy, and gender reassignment in Iran.
The exact cause of sexual dysfunction is not known. Sexual development is a complex process, in which many factors play a role, and still many of these effective factors in sexual development are not known.
The act of changing gender from male to female
Male-to-female gender reassignment is for people who are biologically male but identify as female and wish to continue their lives as women.
Genital surgery in male to female gender reassignment includes three main stages: removal of male sexual organs, i.e. penis and testicles, creation of female external and internal sexual organs including: vagina, labia, and clitoris.
Different stages of gender change from male to female
All three stages of sex change from male to female can be performed during one surgical session. However, according to the opinion of the surgeon and the patient, this surgery may be performed in several sessions and in different stages. How to perform the different stages of the male to female gender change operation is explained below.
Orchidectomy or surgical removal of the testicles
Testicles are the main source of male sex hormone or testosterone. It is possible to surgically remove the testicles before the penis, this operation helps to reduce the amount of estrogen required during hormone therapy and thus reduce the side effects of its use. During the surgery, some of the scrotum is left, to be used in the future to create vaginal labia.
Penectomy or surgery to remove the penis
Penile removal surgery involves the creation of a shallow vaginal opening and a new outlet for the foreskin to allow urination in a sitting position. Some people stop the gender reassignment process at this stage. For those considering vaginoplasty or female genital reconstruction, penectomy is not recommended as a separate procedure and step. Because, the skin and natural tissue of the male penis is normally used in vaginoplasty. Failure to perform vaginoplasty with penectomy eliminates the opportunity to use the sensitive tissue and skin of the penis.
Formation of female genitals
Creation of female genitals requires vaginoplasty, labiaplasty and clitoroplasty. Vaginoplasty is the creation of a vagina. Labiaplasty means the creation of small and large lips of the vagina and clitoroplasty means the creation of the clitoris, using plastic surgery techniques. In vaginoplasty, the goal is to create a vagina with the proper structure and sensitivity to have sex and also to change the structure of the urinary system to help a person urinate while standing.
The urethra in women is in a different position than men, during vaginoplasty, the urethra is shortened and a new outlet is created for it. The clitoris is created using a small part of the head of the penis, which is very sensitive. The tissue of the part of the penis, which plays a role in creating an erection, is removed to prevent swelling and problems for the clitoris during sexual intercourse. The labia minora, or inner labia, is usually made from the remaining penile foreskin. The labia majora, or the outer labia of the vagina, is created using the skin of the scrotum.
Many surgeons prefer that there is a gap between the vaginoplasty operation and the creation of the clitoris and labia, however, it is also possible to perform all these procedures during one surgical session. Separating the steps can reduce inflammation from surgery.
Breast augmentation, facial surgery and voice change are non-reproductive surgeries of male to female sex change. Facial feminization surgery can eliminate or reduce many of the facial bone changes that occur during late puberty.
After vaginoplasty surgery, the patient is treated with estrogen, hormone therapy helps to change the appearance and increase the volume of the breasts.
Complications of gender reassignment from male to female
Male to female sex reassignment surgery, like any other surgery, may cause complications and problems. Before performing any surgery, you should be fully aware of the risks and possible complications associated with any surgical procedure. Among the possible complications of gender reassignment in Iran, the following can be mentioned.
A gap, tear, or fistula may develop between the rectum and the new vagina. This complication should be immediately noticed by the surgeon. Symptoms such as gas leakage or discharge of feces from the vagina may be caused by this condition.
One of the potential side effects of vaginoplasty in the long term is decreased libido and inability to orgasm. About 63 to 94 percent of people maintain their sexual ability after vaginoplasty, but some suffer from this complication following gender reassignment in Iran.
Complete or partial necrosis and cell death in the tissue used to make a new vagina, clitoris, or labia. This complication is rare, and is most likely to occur early in the recovery period, often before hospital discharge.
Rupture and bleeding from stitches.
A new narrowing or closing of the vagina, which causes pain during intercourse.
A narrowing or closing of the urethral outlet, which causes difficulty urinating, painful urination, or a significant decrease in the amount of urine passed.
gender reassignment in Iran from female to male
Gender reassignment surgery from female to male includes various methods and procedures, such as breast removal or mastectomy, and genital surgery. Genital surgeries include the following.
- Removal of the uterus, known as a hysterectomy
- Removal of the vagina, known as a vaginectomy
Construction of male penis, through methodoplasty or phalloplasty
Before surgery, the patient undergoes hormone therapy. The steps of performing the operation of changing gender from female to male include the following, all or part of these steps may be performed for one person.
Chest reconstruction surgery: During this surgery, the breasts are surgically removed and the location of the nipples is changed.
Removal of the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes: If a person is uncomfortable with having a uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes, or if hormone therapy fails to stop menstruation, this surgery may be needed.
Methodioplasty surgery: Methodioplasty is a procedure to create a new male penis or neopenia. This surgery involves changing the position of the clitoris to the male penis. Before the surgery, the person goes through hormone therapy to slightly increase the size of the clitoris. During this surgery, the vagina is also removed and then, using tissue inside the lap, or vaginal tissue, the length of the urethra is increased. Because of the erectability of the clitoral tissues, a neopenis may achieve an erection, however, a neopenis caused by methodioplasty is often too small for penetrative sex.
Phalloplasty surgery: In this procedure, grafted skin, usually from the arm, thigh, back, or abdomen, is used to form a neopenis. Compared to methodioplasty, phalloplasty leads to penis enlargement. However, this neopenis cannot achieve an erection on its own. After a period of recovery, a person can perform penile implant surgery. This surgery can give them the possibility of erection.
Scrotoplasty surgery: During this surgery, a tissue similar to the scrotum is created.
