Gender Dysphoria and Gender Reorientation. In: Steiner BW, editor. Gender Dysphoria. Boston: Springer US; 1985. pp. 365-92. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4684-4784-2_12]

The controversy surrounding "The man who would be queen": a case history of the politics of science, identity, and sex in the Internet age

In 2003, psychology professor and sex researcher J. Michael Bailey published a book entitled The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. The book's portrayal of male-to-female (MTF) transsexualism, based on a theory developed by sexologist Ray Blanchard, outraged some transgender activists. They believed the book to be typical of much of the biomedical literature on transsexuality-oppressive in both tone and claims, insulting to their senses of self, and damaging to their public identities. Some saw the book as especially dangerous because it claimed to be based on rigorous science, was published by an imprint of the National Academy of Sciences, and argued that MTF sex changes are motivated primarily by erotic interests and not by the problem of having the gender identity common to one sex in the body of the other. Dissatisfied with the option of merely criticizing the book, a small number of transwomen (particularly Lynn Conway, Andrea James, and Deirdre McCloskey) worked to try to ruin Bailey. Using published and unpublished sources as well as original interviews, this essay traces the history of the backlash against Bailey and his book. It also provides a thorough exegesis of the book's treatment of transsexuality and includes a comprehensive investigation of the merit of the charges made against Bailey that he had behaved unethically, immorally, and illegally in the production of his book. The essay closes with an epilogue that explores what has happened since 2003 to the central ideas and major players in the controversy.

Surgical sex reassignment: a comparative survey of international centers

The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association's Standards of Care (Walker et al., 1985) set out minimum standards for the selection of patients for sex reassignment surgery. This survey reports on the standard and policies actually used by clinics in Europe and North America, including their areas of agreement and disagreement with the Standards. To our knowledge, there has been only one prior survey of gender clinic policies, and that was restricted to European treatment facilities. The present survey is aimed at primary caregivers in the medical community; however, it may also be of use to administrators in responding to increasing demands for accountability from special interest groups and from government, with their often divergent agendas. It is our hope that this survey will begin the process of developing more uniform standards of care.

Transsexualism: syndrome or symptom?

The desire to identify with and assume the role of the opposite gender has been present with us since antiquity. Unfortunately, the syndrome of transsexualism as defined by the DSM-III encompasses many individuals who are seeking a gender change perhaps allowing reassignment to take place when not indicated. This paper reviews the major classifications applied to the condition of transsexualism and a new model of classification for individuals with Gender Dysphoria is outlined. It will be shown that by subdividing the condition into those with the hypothesized syndrome (primary (true) transsexualism, or the symptom, secondary transsexualism) a better understanding of gender dysphoria is achieved. By applying this new model of classification, a management/treatment protocol is outlined which is helpful in dealing with the gender dysphoric patient.