Friday, 15 February 2008
MAKKAH - A 38-year-old unmarried woman here who claims to be a transsexual needs money and an edict from a noted Muslim scholar in order to undergo a sex-change operation.
The woman told Arabic daily newspaper Al-Riyadh she confirmed her dysfunction at age 17.
"It was around that age when I detected thick hair growth on my body as well as the lowering of my voice," she said.
A check-up with doctors showed that she has no ovary and that her male hormones are higher than her female ones.Although medical reports show that some of her body parts are those of a man, her family refused to allow her to undergo a sex-change operation.
The women went to several doctors all over the Kingdom, hoping for someone to perform the operation. All of them refused.
They said that for one, I don't have male reproductive organs. Secondly, the Ministry of Health has to approve the operation, she said.
She said that through Internet research, she learned that patients need to get two medical reports from two psychiatrists, in addition to undergoing tests and physical check-ups, before they can even consider for such operation.
One of the physicians she went to referred her to Al-Amal Hospital - which turned out to only treat addiction and psychological problems.
I thought of slitting my wrists after that if not for the fear of God, she said.
As substitute for suicide, she turned to cough syrups; often ending up between a state of hysteria and dizziness, or sleeping for two days straight.
She went to Egypt two years ago for a mastectomy. Her doctor also suggested male organ implantation.
But I turned down the offer because I didn't want to do anything without the approval of the Saudi Ministry of Health, she said.
The woman also turned down suggestions to travel to Sweden to seek humanitarian asylum for the same reason.
She said that her family only approved of her desire to undergo sex-change operation after her father passed away three years ago.
A Syrian doctor with whom she has been consulting with reiterated the need for the operation.
A hospital in Miami, USA can do it - but for $17,000.
She said that several Saudi lawyers have offered to take up her case with the Ministry of Health.
A noted Muslim scholar told her to get in touch with the Grand Mufti.
Dr. Ali Bin Sulaiman Al-Hanaki, Director General of Social Affairs here, said they do look into and provide assistance to similar cases but only upon submission of medical reports and required documents.
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