Monthly Topic

Presented by Papillon Center

A Lab Is Set to Test the Gender of Some Female Athletes

by NYTimes.com on 7/30/2008 By the time they arrive in Beijing, most athletes have resigned themselves to the possibility of undergoing a battery of tests for banned substances, like anabolic steroids and certain cough medicines.

But some female athletes may find they are asked to submit to an entirely different examination — one that will test whether they are, in fact, women.

Organizers of the Beijing Olympics have set up a sex-determination laboratory to evaluate “suspect” female athletes, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Sunday. The lab is similar to ones set up at previous Olympics in Sydney and Athens, and will draw on the resources of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital to evaluate an athlete’s external appearance, hormones and genes. Read the Full Entry

Life in Transistion

by DO Magazine on 7/21/2008 When Christine N. McGinn, DO, decided in the summer of 2000 to publicly discuss her experiences as a male-to-female transsexual, she knew the revelation could take a damaging toll on her career as an osteopathic physician.

After all, the 31-year-old Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) graduate had spent the previous four years flying Cobra helicopters as a copilot in the US Navy and had served as a flight surgeon for two NASA space shuttle missions. She was the last person anyone would expect to undergo gender reassignment surgery, Dr McGinn says. Read the Full Entry

Should I have ELECTROLYSIS prior to surgery?

by Dr. McGinn on 7/5/2008 It is your choice, but I recommend it.

There is a difference of opinion between surgeons about this issue. I have heard both arguments and have also been through the process myself. I recommend that patients have 4-6 clearings by electrolysis prior to surgery. Laser is FDA approved for permanent hair reduction, whereas electrolysis is FDA approved for permanent hair removal. If a patient refuses to follow this recommendation, I will still perform surgery, as there is no added health risk by not having genital electrolysis, other than the occasional infected hair follicle. Read the Full Entry

My Philosophy

by Dr. McGinn on 6/19/2008 Understanding your surgeon’s philosophy on gender surgery is key to a successful patient/doctor relationship and more importantly, the key to a satisfied patient. In the United States, the major gender surgeons are now performing similar procedures and we are beginning to see a “Standard of Care”. We are finally witnessing a certain quality from those surgeons who are active members of WPATH and who subject their practices to peer review. I am extremely pleased to see this trend and encourage patients to support a standard of quality by using surgeons that are active members of WPATH. This will ensure that your surgeon, at a minimum, has access to the up-to-date scientific findings and “the lessons learned” by their peers. I also recommend that you do extensive research on the various procedures and surgeons prior to deciding on a surgery or surgeon. Avoid making your decision on the anecdotal story of just one person, and make a point to find someone who was both happy and another who was displeased with their experience and ask them why. Talk to people years after their surgery because satisfaction may change over time. In addition, note where the information is coming from. I have seen all too many situations where a website or patient has given incorrect information and led others down the wrong path.
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