Belgian helped to die after three sex change operations

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24373107




A transsexual has been helped to die by doctors in Belgium, after a series of failed sex-change operations.

Nathan Verhelst, born a girl, asked for help to end his life on grounds of psychological suffering. He died in a Brussels hospital on Monday.

Two doctors concluded the 44-year-old did not have temporary depression. His case received scant media coverage.

Belgium legalised euthanasia in 2002. There were 52 cases of euthanasia on psychological grounds last year.

[mockmonkey]

1. I don't know what to think of this

There is a little more info here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/02/nathan-verhelst-belgian-man-euthanasia-failed-sex-change-operation_n_4028182.html

"Following his death, his mother spoke to the newspaper on Wednesday, to say Verhelst's "Death does not bother me. I feel no sorrow, no doubt or remorse. We never had a bond which therefore could not be broken."

Female to Male transgender doesn't get talked about as much. Major surgery can be botched and lead to even more turmoil. The reconstruction of a penis is not that popular due to severe limitations medically.

It sounds like he had psychological problems stemming from his family. Did he want this or was he trying to please them? If so, that should have been caught in therapy.

The whole thing is just sad.

[xchrom]

2. it made me sad...and no, f to m is not easy. nt

[enlightenment]

3. I think his decision had more to do

with a lifetime of psychological abuse at the hands of his disgusting mother. The botched surgeries were just the tipping point.
I feel so sorry for this man, but I am glad that he no longer suffers. Clearly, he spent his entire life in a living hell.


On your other point:
My son if FtM and is currently undergoing genital reconstruction surgery in the UK. His is a three part process that should - barring extreme complications - give him a functional, esthetically pleasing penis and scrotum. They have some pretty damned impressive new techniques; he would not have considered this ten years ago because the end result was unsatisfactory, at best.

Because of the new techniques and advances in microsurgery and grafting, I think we will see more phalloplasty than we have to date.