An Australian psychiatrist has warned there may be an increase in the number of litigations related to gender transition surgeries on an international scale, saying the trend highlights the loopholes in the current gender-affirmative model.
The concern follows a media report by The Sydney Morning Herald about a Sydney woman who had hormone treatment and surgically removed her breasts and womb is suing her psychiatrist for professional negligence.
Jay Langadinos, who no longer identifies as a trans male, alleged that psychiatrist Patrick Toohey did not provide her with sufficient evaluations or recommend she seek alternate opinions from other doctors ahead of her hysterectomy when she was 22.
The court filings stated that Langadinos, now 31, accused Toohey of approving her hormonal treatment after only one meeting, although she had told him she had a social phobia.
‘International Trend’
Psychiatrist Tanveer Ahmed, who deals with patients with gender dysphoria, said the case follows an “international trend where there are more legal cases around people who are regretting transitioning.”
A similar case took place in the UK, where London’s Tavistock clinic was shut down after an independent review found the clinic’s “unquestionable” affirmative approach putting children at “considerable risk” of distress and worsening mental health.
Ahmed told The Epoch Times that such cases are “very significant because it really just shines a light on weaknesses of the affirmative model.” However, the psychiatrist added that while trans is “by and large, a type of identity disturbance,” it’s “just accepted rather than challenged.”
“One of the big myths of trans is they get sold this idea that if they transition, it’s going to solve their emotional distress,” he said. “In the bulk of cases, it doesn’t. Their psychological problems remain. And that’s actually one of the most common reasons people cite when they detransition.”
“Other reasons include the discrimination, their fear or their bodies change too much. It actually varies according to males and females.”
Ahmed also noted that “we have underestimated the number of people who either want to detransition or detransition in secret without it being recorded in any form.”
What Can Psychiatrists Do?
According to court documents, psychiatrist Toohey strongly recommended that Langadinos receive family therapy and regular psychological follow-ups.
He noted he was concerned Langadinos didn’t know that “psychological factors could influence the outcome of gender transition.”
Meanwhile, Langadinos told the Sydney Morning Herald her complicated home environment contributed to her feeling “defective,” which was strengthed in her mid-teens when she found herself attracted by people of the same sex.
However, after undergoing gender transition, Langadinos felt her unhappiness grow while suffering the loss of her breasts, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. In January 2020, Langadinos decided to end testosterone treatment.
Ahmed told The Epoch Times that to avoid litigations in the future, psychiatrists need to challenge the experience a little more and encourage a wider range of treatments to deal with identity and psychological issues.
“They (psychiatrists) really need to show that they’ve worked very hard on all the other psychological problems,” he said.
“Personally, I think almost all of the cases [of gender dysphoria] shouldn’t need to go to that (surgeries).”
“That’s the critical thing where the affirmative model encourages that we’re going to help you out by transitioning. Whereas I think if you continue to see the experience as a type of pathology, which I think we need to, then you’re in a better place to challenge it.”
The Epoch Times has reached out to ACON, Transgender Victoria and the Gender Centre but didn’t receive a response.