Jew vs. Jew in debate over sex-change operations for children
The Boston Globe's report Q & A on with a doctor, Norman Spack, who offers sex-change operations to children struggling with "cross-gender feelings," takes a Jewish turn.
In the interview, Spack discussed how his Jewish faith informs his work. His response: "My own rabbi said it best: The transgendered are also created b'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God."
The comment drew a rebuke from a conservative activist, Brian Camenker:
Camenker takes personal affront to that response. "Being Jewish myself, it's a tremendous embarrassment that he would try to claim that Judaism has any connection at all to this kind of demonic and lunatic behavior – because it doesn't," he states.
UPDATE: In my rush to get this post up, I mixed up the links, leaving people with the – incorrect – impression that I was siding with Camenker. My only aim was to note that the doctor's comment about his rabbi was irking a Jewish conservative who opposes his work. Sorry about the initial screw-up, but I disagree with those out there who think that there was something wrong with citing the exchange.
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Even though I am transgendered, I was shocked when I heard that a clinic in Boston was providing sex changes to kids as young as seven.
I wrote my thoughts about the pros and cons of offering a sex change so early here: http://www.crossdresserheaven.com/2008/05/a-sex-change-at.html
I believe there are better ways to avoid suicide than providing a sex change to children.
Hugs,
Vanessa
http://www.crossdresserheaven.com
The headline writers do the story an injustice.
Puberty blocking is reversible, and it starts at 10, not 7, and often doesn’t start until 14. The goal is to delay the use of cross-sex hormones (which are less reversible.) Trans teens, ejected from their homes by their loving Christian parents, frequently prostitute themselves for access to these hormones.
Spack, and Belzer are working with a harm reduction model. (Similar to the notion of giving herion addicts access to clean needles.) They’re attempting to avert self mutilation, suicide, broken families and prostitution for cross sex hormone access.
The dutch model has so far had a zero percent failure rate. Not a single child treated under this protocol has regretted treatment.
The articles headline evokes evil doctors hacking the genitals off boys who accidentally put on a tutu in the kindergarten play corner. This is a lie. The headline first appeared in a hatchet job piece written up at FOX news, and was re-used by CNN and other outlets out of intellectual laziness. This headline is part of an orchestrated campaign to attack GLBTQ rights by right-wing, fundamentalist think tanks. Don’t be fooled.
hey uh holly you’d be very surprised some “children” actually understand and are mature enough to make that decision its up to them its their life i say let them do it and if in the future they regret it that it is there choice and well they have to live with that choice they made and not to piss you off at all its truly none of our business to discuss what other people should be allowed to change about there bodies that is one thing that will always be there’s and it will never be anyone elses choice to make for them its there life let them live it how they choose…
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Michael Rhodes
05/29/08 03:12 PM
A Sex Change at 7......
Yesterday I was watching a video on CNN that discussed a clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Boston who were offering sex changes to children as young as seven years old. I must admit that my first reaction was shock....