Who pays for the sex reassignment surgery?

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“You can’t change being trans, that’s it. You can only change how you deal with it.” Elias D., 33, a trans man, gave birth to a girl before she changed gender. Host Sylwina Spiess accompanied him for one day for the “sichtbar” format.

Public awareness and recognition of transgender people is increasing in Switzerland. Trans people like Elias are becoming more visible and talking about their desires and fears. However, there are still open questions on the subject. Blick answers the most important ones.

According to international studies, 0.33 to 0.7 percent of the population is transgender. As a result, about 40,000 trans people live in Switzerland. According to the Transgender Network Switzerland platform, other estimates assume significantly higher numbers; three percent of the population may be transgender.

“The only reason is the existence of gender mismatch. This is when perceived gender identity does not match the gender assigned at birth, says David Garcia Nuñez (47), Head of Innovation-Driven Gender Change at University Hospital Basel.

There are two types of medical sex reassignment surgery: invasive and non-invasive. Non-invasive ones are hormonal treatments. Invasive interventions are surgical procedures performed in the breast and genital area.

Surgeries are performed only from the age of 18. In exceptional cases, transmasculin and non-binary individuals may have breast surgery (mastectomy) prior to this point. “It’s extremely rare in Switzerland,” says Garcia.

More gender reassignment surgeries are performed from men to women, according to Richard Fakin, 41, a surgeon at Ocean Clinic for Plastic and Aesthetic Medicine.

Gender mismatch and gender dysphoria can be associated with a medical condition. Therefore, health insurance covers the costs.

“Medical sex reassignment surgery is a therapeutic process that attempts to cure a condition,” says Nuñez. The only “condition” one must meet in order to come to this therapy is that the person actually has the condition and is informed of all possible solutions so that they can make their own decisions about therapy. But transitions are complex processes that need to be well understood. Therefore, those seeking treatment should be able to make judgments about the decisions to be made.

There are currently three public hospitals performing gender reassignment surgery: University Hospitals in Basel, Zurich and Lausanne. There are also private clinics such as the Ocean Clinic in Zurich.

Since January 1, 2022, it has become easier to change the gender entry in the registry of persons in Switzerland. Anyone under the age of 16 needs parental consent and a reason. According to the BFS, 1,171 gender changes were registered in Swiss civil registration offices in 2022.

Since July 2022, same-sex couples in Switzerland can marry or have their registered partnership converted into marriage. The gender change in the marital status register has no impact on existing family law relationships.

Some have children or become fathers before they identify or come out as trans. As in the case of Elias (33) who gave birth to a daughter before the gender change. According to the Transgender Network Switzerland platform, other couples decide to adopt or adopt.

Source : Blick