There is a moderate rise in ‘sex reassignment’ or sexual conversion surgeries in the city.
There seems to be a gradual rise in the number of people opting for sex reassignment surgeries (SRS) or sexual conversion surgeries. However, urologists and plastic surgeons believe that unless society accepts those who undergo them with arms wide open, it would be difficult for people to come out of the closet.
Plastic and cosmetic surgeon, Dr Devesh Mehta said, "It is only occasionally that people who want to undergo SRS or sexual conversion surgeries come forward to do so. In the last 20 years of my career I have carried out only 10 surgeries as people are afraid of society and the problems they might have to face following the surgery."
The commonest surgery that Dr Mehta has carried is that of lesbian couples, where one is more dominant and displays characteristics of being a male. This partner opts for a sex change into a male.
Urologist Dr Sanjiv Shah too claims that there is a moderate rise in the number of patients coming forward for such surgeries. He said, "One cannot term it a trend but more of a necessity based operation for those who really want it. As of now I have operated upon six to seven patients and mainly males who have undergone surgery to turn into females."
However, genitourinary experts of Ahmedabad reveal that the nascent trend of desiring sexual conversion or correction is on a constant rise since few years.
Dr Shailesh Shah, president of the Urological Society of India (USI) west zone, said, "There is a 50 per cent rise in inquiries for sex correction and sex conversion surgeries. Patients suffering from physical and psychological problems due to complex internal and external male-female combination or multi-organ defects have started expressing their inner sexual orientation and desire to undergo corrective surgery."
Few decades ago about 95% of children born with sexual deformity were forcefully handed over to the Hijra community. However, with changing times, about 40% of the parents with such kids now seek medical help for reconstructive surgeries.
Major and minor physical birth defects of having mixed or cross genital organs can be corrected surgically. "However, complete sexual conversion surgery is a long process but the demand for it is also on the rise," explained Dr. Shah.
The patient has to undergo sex change surgeries in two to three stages which is a process that takes about four to six months.
"With latest urethroplasty surgical methods and advanced hormone replacement therapy which the patient needs to undergo for complete transformation, the sex change procedure has become less painful," added Dr Shah.
In most cases, experts say, females are more vocal and expressive while the males are more introverted and take longer in finding and expressing their true selves.
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