SOCIETY

Chennai transgenders go quacks way for sex change

     Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Since sex change is not legal in India, transgenders in Chennai, go to unqualified doctors or quacks to get sex reconstruction surgery. Instead of correcting the sex, they end up with physical ailments due to unscientific surgical processes used by the quacks. Dhana Lakshmi, a doctor for South Indian Positive Network, a voluntary organisation, said most of the transgender community work as the sex workers. They feel that they are females. "They think that the first hurdle for them is their genital organs. By removing their genital organs they think that they completely become a female physically," Lakshmi added. Unfortunately, no one has been doing the surgery. So, people go to quacks, Lakshmi said. Many a time, these transgenders go to Andhra Pradesh to get surgeries done there. "A doctor in Kadappa in Andhra Pradesh operated upon me. After operation we faced some difficulties like we become fat, we can't walk as before," said Jeeva. Eunuchs are also considered transgender, but they do not go for sex change surgeries.
-June 9, 2007    

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