Project Manager's Piece

by Bill Robertson

(The Gender Centre advise that this article may not be current and as such certain content, including but not limited to persons, contact details and dates may not apply. Where legal authority or medical related matters are cited, responsibility lies with the reader to obtain the most current relevant legal authority and/or medical publication.)

XIV Harry Benjamin International Symposium In Kloster Irsee, Bavaria

A truly valuable experience. Due to our work in isolation it was fruitful to network and make connection or reconnect with people of like minds from a variety of disciplines.

The conference was top heavy with surgical presentations of techniques and methods. The psychosocial issues seemed to pale into insignificance with the over abundance of surgeons present. Europe and America are well represented with reconstruction surgeons specializing in phalloplasty and vaginoplasty. With phalloplasty, a procedure called metaoidioplasty seemed to be the safest and most functional method from my perspective. There seemed to be division, albeit intangible, between the surgeons and other disciplines.

It was wonderful to see the number of doctors who practice family medicine involved in the conference, they seemed to be more inclined to have an holistic view regarding the issues of transgender. The American contingent were particularly evident in this regard. The team approach was evident from countries like Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

It was also evident that Australia is advanced in terms of psychosocial aspects in providing accommodation and other education services available to people who were undergoing a transition process or exploring possibilities in alternate gender roles. The provision for accommodation for persons in this position is unique to Australia.

The conference validated The Gender Centre's direction and philosophy. There is evidence that there is a global groundswell of support from the transgender community who are not seeking a surgical alternative. There is also evidence that this demedicalisation could have the potential to alienate some doctors. Total demedicalisation could be disastrous having the potential of creating greater divisions between the transgender community and the loss of a powerful platform from which changes can be made.

Polare is published in Australia by The Gender Centre Inc. which is funded by the Department of Community Services under the S.A.A.P. Program and supported by the N.S.W. Health Department through the AIDS and Infectious Diseases Branch. Polare provides a forum for discussion and debate on gender issues. Advertisers are advised that all advertising is their responsibility under the Trade Practices Act. Unsolicited contributions are welcome, though no guarantee is made by the Editor that they will be published, nor any discussion entered into. The editor reserves the right to edit such contributions without notification. Any submission which appears in Polare may be published on our internet site. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, The Gender Centre Inc.I, the Department of Community Services or the N.S.W. Department of Health.