Mak Nyahs and Sex Reassignment Surgery – A Qualitative Study from Pahang, Malaysia

@#Introduction: Mak nyahs are locally known male-to-female transgenders in Malaysia. In Western countries, medicalization of transgenderism allows strictly selected patients to undergo sex reassignment surgery. However, a standardized treatment system is not yet available in Malaysia. A number of mak nyahs underwent sex reassignment surgery at their own will. This study aimed to explore mak nyahs’ knowledge and perception on sex reassignment surgery. Materials and Methods: A qualitative research was carried out from 13th July 2016 till 31st August 2016 among 8 adult mak nyahs in Kuantan, Pahang. Snowball sampling was used. Participants who gave verbal consent were interviewed individually and in focus groups. Data obtained was transcribed and used as the primary data source. Results: All informants were Malays and Muslims. They generally had some knowledge about the standard procedures and risks in sex reassignment surgery. All informants expressed their desire to have the surgery, but chose not to. Reasons discouraging them from having the surgery were: i) religion, ii) forbiddance from family, iii) fear of regret, iv) death from surgery, and v) the lack of necessity. Factors driving them to have the surgery: i) more income from sex work, ii) pressure from sex clients, iii) securing a stable relationship, iv) self-satisfaction, and v) hope for a better future. Conclusion: Religion seemed to be the main reason refraining them from undertaking the surgery. Counselling mak nyahs should include the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reassignment surgery. Islamic religious preaching is very important to help reduce high risk behaviours, as well as teaching mak nyahs to cope with challenges in adult life. Further research is necessary to show association between religious knowledge and successful rehabilitation of the mak nyahs’ community.

Entre o segredo e as possibilidades do cuidado: (re)pensando os silêncios em torno das narrativas das travestis sobre HIV/AIDS / Entre el secreto y las posibilidades del cuidado: (re)pensando los silencios en torno a las narrativas de las travestis sobre VIH / SIDA / Between the secret and the possibilities of health care: (re)thinking the silences on travesti narratives about HIV/AIDS

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir os sentidos sobre a aids que circulam, tanto entre as travestis como nos aparatos da política pública, impactando na adesão delas às ofertas oficiais de cuidado em saúde. Argumentamos que é necessário compreender os sentidos de uma política do silêncio que vem descartando as narrativas das experiências sem compreender o universo das travestis, privilegiando um modelo biomédico de política de cuidado. Esse viés tem impedido o reconhecimento da multiplicidade de sentidos atribuídos à aids que performam barreiras e dificultam enfrentar a epidemia que permanece concentrada nesse segmento.

Abstract: This work discuss the meanings about Aids that circulate, both among travestis and public policy apparatuses, impacting their adherence to official health care initiatives. We argue it is necessary to understand the meanings of a politics of silence that has been discarding travesti narratives of experiences without understanding their universe, favoring a biomedical model of care policy. This bias has prevented the recognition of the multiplicity of meanings attributed to Aids that perform barriers and make it difficult to face the epidemic that remains concentrated in this segment

Resumen: El objetivo de este trabajo es discutir los sentidos sobre el Sida que circulan, tanto entre las travestis como en los aparatos de la política pública, impactando en la adhesión de ellas a los programas medicos oficiales de cuidado en salud. Argumentamos que es necesario comprender los sentidos de una política del silencio que viene descartando las narrativas de las experiencias sin comprender el universo de las travestis, privilegiando un modelo biomédico de política de cuidado. Este sesgo ha impedido el reconocimiento de la multiplicidad de sentidos atribuidos al Sida que desempeñan barreras y dificultan enfrentar la epidemia que permanece concentrada en ese segmento.

Terapia hormonal en persona transgénero según world professional association for transgender health (WPATH) () y guías clinicas de la endocrine society. () / Hormone therapy in transgender person according to world professional association for transgender health (WPATH) and clinical guidelines of the endocrine society

RESUMEN La identidad de género es la percepción intrínseca de una persona de ser hombre, mujer o alguna alternativa de género. Las personas transgénero perciben estar en un cuerpo equivocado, ya que se sienten del sexo opuesto al biológico. Cuando esta incongruencia entre identidad de género y el fenotipo físico del sexo asignado, genera gran angustia, ansiedad y malestar persistente, se denomina disforia de género. Se estima que el 0,4%- 1.3% de la población mundial experimentan distintos grados de Disforia de Género. (3), no todas las personas con disforia de género tienen las mismas necesidades, por lo que la evaluación del objetivo personal para lograr bienestar es muy importante. Todas las intervenciones médicas conllevan riesgos, por lo que, la comprensión de éstos últimos, la adherencia y el manejo por profesionales capacitados los minimiza. En Revista de la Sociedad Chilena de Obstetricia y Ginecología Infantil y de la Adolescencia, recientemente hemos publicado dos artículos de revisión sobre la introducción a la Hormonoterapia en personas transgénero, objetivos de la terapia, transición en la adolescencia, y la transición masculino a femenino, por lo que éste escrito se concentrará sólo en los Riesgos de la Terapia Hormonal en la transición. (4,5)

SUMMARY Gender identity is the intrinsic perception of a person to be a man, woman or some gender alternative. Transgender people feel that they are in the wrong body, since they feel the opposite sex to the assigned. When this incongruence between gender identity and the physical phenotype generates great anguish, anxiety and persistent discomfort, it is called gender dysphoria. It is estimated that 0.4% −1.3% of the world population experience different degrees of Gender Dysphoria. (3), and not all people with gender dysphoria have the same needs, so the evaluation of the personal goal to achieve well-being is very important. All medical interventions involve risks, so the understanding of the latter, adherence and management by trained professionals minimizes them. In the Journal of the Chilean Society of Obstetrics and Child and Adolescent Gynecology, we have recently published two review articles on the introduction to Hormonotherapy in transgender people, objectives of therapy, transition in adolescence, and the male to female transition, so this writing will focus only on the Risks of Hormonal Therapy in the transition. (4,5)

Hormonal Analysis of Female Transgender Patients Performed Gender Reassignment Operation

Transgender is the severe type of gender identity disorder. The prevalence rate of transgender is reported to occur to about 1 out of 50,000 men, and about 1 out of 10,000 women. As for Korea, it is estimated to have about 1400 transgender patients. Lately, not only the numbers of them are increasing but also they are influencing our society increasingly. As for female transgender patients, they take female hormone for a long term before and even after the operation to maintain their physical identity of female. We have analyzed insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1), insulin like growth factor protein binding-3(IGFBP-3), female hormone, male hormone and thyroid hormone in female transgender patients who have undergone the gender reassignment operation. We examined the changes of hormone level due to having female hormone steadily, and also examined how the steady use of the hormone could affect body organs. As for IGF-1, it showed significantly low in the female transgender group compared to control (319.30+/-37.4 vs 539+/-55.0, p0.05). As for female hormone, there was no significant differences in FSH(13.42+/-13.8 vs 8.95+/-3.5, p>0.05), estradiol(104.41+/-97.1 vs 121.68+/-60.2, p>0.05), and LH(7.62+/-5.6 vs 7.4+/-3.3, p>0.05). Even in comparison of testosterone, there was no significant differences(0.23+/-0.09 vs 0.33+/-1.33, p>0.05). As for thyroid hormone, there was no significant differences in TSH and free T4(1.34+/-0.94 vs 1.71+/-0.12, 1.4+/-0.37 vs 1.46+/-0.17, p>0.05). Therefore, this study concludes that apart from the decreased level of IGF-1, the possible endocrine side- effect problem due to female hormone seems to be low because there was no differences of female, male, and thyroid hormone level compared with normal female. Further study will be required in metabolic change including bone metabolism occurred by decrease level of IGF-I.