I watched a documentary called Transsexuals in Iran tonight on BBC2. (My friend Lisa has also just blogged about this)

It was a really interesting documentary showing several women who wanted to have GRS to become women.

There were several things that stood out and surprised me.

The first was that although I have friends in many countries who are TG I had never really thought about people in Islamic countries who feel the same way. It just shows that religion and location or upbringing have absolutely no bearing on being TG

The second thing that struck me was that this was Iran and I had no idea that Islamic countries would allow any GRS. In fact they actually paid for half the cost of the operation. Under there law they can also change the birth certificate.

Having said all that they were not actually allowed to work with women even in the transitional time until after GRS. They also had to get a letter from local government officials to allow them to dress as a woman prior to GRS or they faced arrest from the morality police.

The third thing that surprised me was that it seemed that family and society reacted in a similar way to western countries. There were those who after an initial shock accepted their new daughters and there were also those who were completely disowned and could not return to their home town.

In fact one father just before his daughters operation invited her for a lovely breakfast which he had laid on for her. She became suspicious as he was normally a cold person and asked him to swap the cup of tea. When he refused she found he had laced her cup with Rat poison in an attempt to kill her!

Unfortunately this lady like many others over there ended up drifting into prostitution to survive which was terribly sad.

The fourth thing that struck me and definitely the worst was that it seems some of the girls who were having GRS were doing so as Homosexuality is illegal. As they wanted to have boyfriends this was effectively the only way they could have them. So basically they had GRS even though quite probably they were Gay and not TG.

I am so pleased that the BBC has shown this documentary. Recently they showed a documentary which I think was called Lisa the teenage transsexual which was about an 18 year old Boy who was going through transition.

Also we had a multi part documentary on channel 4 called Sex Change hospital which was about a hospital in America (can’t remember where) where a female doctor who herself has gone through GRS performed operations.

It was over several weeks and each week focussed on a few people both MTF and FTM who were going through GRS.

All these can only help society in general understand more about this subject.

With regard to me I am hoping to have a second counselling session early next week. I am starting to get tinges of panic again for short periods and then reason, logic and calmness returns. I know I am stressed though as my skin is flaking on my forehead and on my scalp which normally happens when I am feeling under pressure.

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