sex-change operations in Iran

[Said1]

Iran's sex-change operations


By Frances Harrison

In a country that has outlawed homosexuality, Frances Harrison meets one Iranian cleric who says the right to a sex change is a human right.

For 20 years Mahyar has been a woman trapped in a man's body.

As a small child Mahyar liked dressing up in women's clothes and experimenting with make-up but as she grew older it got more difficult. "I badly needed to do it but it had to be in secret," she says.

Now she wants to have a sex-change operation - if she can muster the £2,000 it will cost in Iran. If her family doesn't help financially, she says she might sell one of her kidneys to pay for it.

"People say you'll get other illnesses but I think I can live without one kidney. I cannot live between the sky and the earth," says Mahyar.

Surgeons have already removed Mahyar's testicles. After the operation, her older brother locked her up for a week and wouldn't let her use the telephone. Mahyar's brother says someone has put a spell on her.

When Mahyar wants to feel normal she goes to the clinic of Dr Mirjalali - Iran's leading sex-change surgeon. There are women who were men, men who were women and those like Mahyar waiting for the operation they believe will be a sort of rebirth.

Dr Mirjalali says in Europe a surgeon would do about 40 sex change operations in a decade. He's done 320 in the last 12 years in Iran.

"If you saw them out in the street you wouldn't realise that one day they were the opposite sex," he boasts.

The doctor will use parts of Mahyar's intestines to create female sex organs. He warns it involves five or six hours of difficult surgery and weeks of painful recuperation.

Mahyar loves to go to cosmetics shops - and try out new nail varnish for her long manicured nails and discuss with the amused female shop assistants the best sort of foundation cream to hide her stubbly chin.


I want to suggest that the right of transsexuals to change their gender is a human right.

The sight of a man wearing make-up does turn heads on the street. Islamic tradition does not allow cross dressing - a man should only dress in male clothes. But that is not to say Iran's religious scholars are antagonistic to transsexuals.

Hojatulislam Kariminia wrote his doctoral thesis on the implications of sex-change operations for Islamic law.

He is a leading expert on questions like does a husband or wife need the permission of their spouse before a sex change operation? Is their marriage automatically annulled afterwards and what happens to the wife's dowry money or inheritance if she becomes a man.

Ayatollah Khomeini

He shows me the book in Arabic in which, 41 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini wrote about new medical issues like transsexuality.

"I believe he was the first Islamic scientist in the world of Islam who raised the issue of sex change," says Hojatulislam Kariminia.

The Ayatollah's ruling that sex-change operations were allowed has been reconfirmed by Iran's current spiritual leader.

Article


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[Johnney]

In a country that has outlawed homosexuality, Frances Harrison meets one Iranian cleric who says the right to a sex change is a human right.

now how the fuck is that a human right?!

 

[no1tovote4]

now how the fuck is that a human right?!

You have the right to screw up your life in many different ways. If they have the money who are we to deny them?

 

[Comrade]

The doctor will use parts of Mahyar's intestines to create female sex organs. He warns it involves five or six hours of difficult surgery and weeks of painful recuperation.

That's going to be one hungry pussy!

 

[Said1]

What I find most amusing is that fact that this is permissible because there isn't a reference opposing it in the Koran! I think the "the Prophet" would be against it had he been consulted.

 

[Johnney]

You have the right to screw up your life in many different ways. If they have the money who are we to deny them?

well yeah, the right to screw your life up i agree with. its jsut the right to have a sex change part is whats screwing me up...lol

 

[no1tovote4]

well yeah, the right to screw your life up i agree with. its jsut the right to have a sex change part is whats screwing me up...lol

At least they cannot breed after they have such an operation. It permanently removes them from the breeding pool. Self-activated Darwinism in effect.

 

[Said1]

Dr Mirjalali says in Europe a surgeon would do about 40 sex change operations in a decade. He's done 320 in the last 12 years in Iran.

Never in a million years, would I have guessed that!!

 

[Johnney]

Never in a million years, would I have guessed that!!

kinda makes ya quessy dont it

 

[Said1]

kinda makes ya quessy dont it

No, just explains a few things, that's all.

 

[no1tovote4]

kinda makes ya quessy dont it

I actually have an acquaintance that I have known since kindergarten that is getting this done. He/she has been taking the medication for about 9 months and is now entering a stage where it will be irreversable damage to his/her sex organs. I guess I am supposed to call him "her" now but I haven't seen her since she began taking the medication. She keeps calling the house and asking if it is because of this that I don't call her. Not even considering that I never called when she was a man either.

 

[Merlin1047]

Wanting to have your Willie whacked off is bad enough.

But consider this; How weird is it to be a man who wants to be a woman in an islamic society?

 

[Said1]

Wanting to have your Willie whacked off is bad enough.

But consider this; How weird is it to be a man who wants to be a woman in an islamic society?

NO kidding!! Who would want less rights???

 

[Johnney]

NO kidding!! Who would want less rights???

there are freaks in all walks of life i guess