If you can. discuss the prob- lem with someone who is under- standing but who does not have the handicap of emotional involve- ment. If everything seems favor- able, a doctor--preferably an ex- perienced psychiatrist—should still be asked to approve of the step you want to take. If he agrees with you and recommends the opera- tion, then I would say "by all means, go ahead and the best of luck."

The above advice was written with the male transsexual in mind who desires to become a woman. But there are also female trans- sexuals who want to become men and live and work as such. They are much rarer, but their emo- tional problems are the same. My explanations and warnings, in prin- ciple, apply equally to them.

The operations they are seeking with the same emotional intensity,

naturally are different. They want a reduction in the size of their breasts, in order to appear mascu- line, the removal of the womb, so that there is no menstrual period to fear anymore, and sometimes the closing up of the vagina.

More complicated plastic opera- tions on the genitalia are practi- cally never requested. For in- stance, the construction of a penis that could be of use would require a series of complicated operations. costly through long hospitalization. and highly uncertain as to results.

Glandular treatment with hor- mones and psychological guidance are as important for females as for males, but naturally hormones pro- duce no permanent changes. These can only be accomplished through surgery, which in turn requires as much mature and unemotiona! consideration as the parallel pro- cedures in men.

The preceeding article was reprinted by permiss- ion of the Editor of Sexology where it originally ap- peared, and at the request of it's author, Dr Harry Ben- jamin. It was with full willingness that your Editor concurred with this, for I too feel that this subject can hardly be over emphasized. While there are certainly true transsexualists who may be benefited by surgery, but who should nevertheless consider the complications carefully beforehand, there is a stage in the develop- ment of a TV that leads him to think that surgery would be the "answer". I say a "stage" because with a little further development, most of us ; come; to realize that this is not the answer at all. The problem is to help the individual to develop past: this point. A clear con- sideration of the problems involved, such as Dr. Ben- jamin has given in this article is one of the best ways of helping such people to outgrow this feeling and to accept themselves and their transvestism and to seek their happiness without surgery.

71.