Treatment of the transsexual and medicolegal issues

The carnival, stage or masquerade ball are the only situations where a male is tolerated in assuming the femal role, or vice-versa in Western Society. The transsexual, finding it impossible to maintain his or her self-esteem, is given the opportunity to resolve a profound dilemma via this new medical procedure of six reassignment. Endocrine therapy and conversion surgery raise medicolegal issues illustrative of the difference in perspective between medicine and the law. The nonjudgmental tradition of medicine and the judgmental and prosecuting tradition of law produce attitudes difficult to reconcile in dealing with legal issues that arise in transsexual treatment. This paper deals with the legal ramifications of cross-dressing as part of treatment, transsexual surgery and its exposure to the possibility of legal prosecution, and finally documentary alterations such as birth certificate changes.