Two for the Reference Library

Good practice guidelines for the assessment and treatment of adults with gender dysphoria 2013-1-25 Royal College of Psychiatrists (PDF)

The following organisations have endorsed the report:

• British Association of Urological Surgeons 
• British Psychological Society
• Gender Identity Research and Education Society
• Gender Trust
• Press for Change
• Royal College of General Practitioners
• Royal College of Nursing
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health*
• Royal College of Physicians
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Royal College of Surgeons
• UK Council for Psychotherapy

Factors that help to support successful outcomes are a consistent gender identity and psychological stability before and after surgery, adequate psychological preparation and transition at an early age (De Cuypere et al, 2006), including properly informed consent about benefits, risks and outcomes. A survey in the UK showed a high level of satisfaction (98%) following genital surgery (Schonfield, 2008). Two studies on outcomes in women and men showed that they function well on a physical, emotional, psychological and social level (Weyers et al, 2009; Wierckx et al, 2011). Overall, there are a number of studies that report extremely high transgender patient satisfaction with genital reconstructive surgery.

The next one... is bad. The report itself is very good, but looking at the events that caused it to be written... it's hard not to weep uncontrollably.

Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia - Parliamentary report and recommendations (PDF).

Mr Ansara explained that concern or trauma resulting from early medical
experiences can have broader consequences:

What you see is that a lot of intersex people do not seek medical care even
when emergency treatment is needed, because they are so afraid of further
medical abuse. For myself, I had some medical treatments done to me
nonconsensually that I, frankly, never talk about because it just is not safe,
and there are many people who will avoid medical treatment on that basis.

Reading the raw testimony is heartbreaking. OK, I had nonconsensual surgery at age 20 - "just taking out the gallbladder" - leaving me with a livid scar from bikini line to breastbone, one that's caused shocked looks from medics since then. I don't even know what was taken out, the pathology reports on the "anomalous tissue" were... mislaid. As was the standard practice of the time.
Meh. I would have consented if asked, based on what we knew then.

I did not suffer medical abuse by any reasonable definition of the term. Many, many others have. And do. This report might just put a stop to that, if the recommendations are implemented.