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by north_east_dev 3071 days ago
But what about trans-abled people and their rights?
2 comments

Key phrase:

  > for no good reason
For some individuals, there is substantial therapeutic benefit to reassignment surgery.
> If you choose to have your hand cut off because you think it would be awesome,

Does that cut mustard? Why not?

That's begging the question. The point is, "Who decides what a good reason for this is?"

After all, it seems self-evident that nobody would seriously ask for these things if they themselves didn't believe they had a good reason, yes?

I think the doctor should always have the right to refuse an elective surgery. It's up to the patient to find a willing doctor.
The argument proffered through is that it is necessary for their mental health. Which then begs the question, what about people who compulsively get plastic surgery? Which is exactly why the DSM carefully says that "gender nonconformity is not in itself a mental disorder. The critical element of gender dysphoria is the presence of clinically significant distress associated with the condition". Body dysmorphic disorder on the other hand is itself pathological, so continued surgeries do not rank as humane treatment.
Surgery is not the only possible answer to psychological distress, if it is one at all. Some people have body dysphoria and surgeons aren't required to weigh their distress about having an arm above everything else.