The Miss Gay and Ms. Transsexual Australia 2016 offers gender reassignment surgery as their grand prize, and they’re taking a lot of heat from people who think they’re trivializing a major surgery.
The pageant has been called out by president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Hugh Bartholomeusz, who blasted the grand prize as “irresponsible.”
He also claims gender reassignment surgery “is not something to be entered into lightly and requires multiple expert consultations with both surgeons and psychologists.”
Bartholomeusz also took aim at the use of an overseas facility to perform the surgery:
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“The Society also warns Australians that any form of surgery carries risks and when people travel overseas for operations there are less likely to be appropriate cooling off periods and adequate provision for after care should complications occur.”
The pageant is a part of the LGBT-oriented Midsumma festival, and founder Gayzha Davao struck back at the claims, telling the Herald Sun:
“I’m not really in a position to say whether the hospitals in Thailand would be inferior compared to Australia, because they’re all good hospitals. They’re also really quick, and I think the hospital is really safe; we’ve had people who went there and got good results.”
We’d side with the president on this one, but the decision is ultimately up to the winner. More power to anyone who wants to match their gender with their identity, though we’re not exactly sure gender reassignment surgery is something we’d use a gift certificate for.
Chris
I wonder about the many people who are ready for but cannot afford gender reassignment surgery. Is stuff like this contest going to become their last hope? But then, after the Bachelor and the Bachelorette trivialized relationships and marriage, this is the next step.
Martin Stone Hennessee
They’re all ready entering themselves in beauty pageants – pretty trivial to start out with really.
Brian
I’m sorry but a lot of these trans folks are simply repeating the stereotypes which women themselves follow. Same long hair, same make-up, same high-heel shoes…it’s a laundry list of stereotypes. They do not empower women at all.
Trans folks should be loved but there’s a limit to love just like there’s a limit to everything else in life. You are not women.
Derek Perron
What’s the big deal offer the prize or cash equivalent.
Kieran
They make gay synonymous with transexuals and then they wonder why so many gay men choose not to identify as gay.
Rosalynn D'Angela
and if they don’t want srs, would they get cash equal to srs,
MirandaSparks
@Brian: Oh, thank you so much! Here we were thinking we’re women, until you come along and set everything straight. It must feel so wonderful to be the arbiter of who does or does not have a legitimate gender.
Maybe women have more of a say about what we find empowering. Also, ever stop to think that maybe some of these girls are playing it up in order to gain what is an expensive and life changing surgery? If anyone’s to blame it’s these pageant holders who are expecting us to perform.
Ariel Hans Christian
What they said. â? WORD