Most of the information in my previous pages are now redundant.  To find out more about the Transgender scene, visit Sg Butterfly.

TRANSSEXUALISM IN SINGAPORE

I managed to obtain Dr Tsoi Wing Foo's article titled "Male and Female Transsexuals: A Comparison" that was published in the Singapore Medical Journal in 1992.  There were some findings were very interesting.   His study was on 320 males and 120 females who sought sex change surgery from the period 1972 to 1988 at the University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 

The racial distribution for male-to-female  transsexuals (MTF) was similar to the general population.  This is different from the situation next door in Malaysia! 

It surprised me that there were more female-to-male transsexuals (FTM) among Chinese  than Malay or Indian women.  No wonder it is not unusual for me to see obviously lesbian couples holding hands publicly. 

24% of MTF were prostitutes.  18% were doing stereotypical female jobs while 8% were doing female entertainment jobs.  He mentions later in the article that 38% of MTF had a history of prostitution.

For MTF, the average age when they started feeling that they were of the opposite sex was 8.71 years old.

87% of MTF's were sexually active (with men) and 13% were not sexually active (asexual).  Among the sexually active ones, most of them started getting interested in other boys at 13.42 years of age (average), started petting about a year later and started having sex at 16.24 years of age (average).

Tsoi desribed the typical Singaporean transsexual as going through a "homosexual phase" where they became interested in other boys before they started to cross dress.  They finally progressed into the "transsexual phase" where they sought SRS. 

According to him, anal sex was the most popular, followed by oral sex and the least popular was doing a handjob. 

I would have liked to know how many of the MTF's eventually had SRS but, unfortunately, there was no mention. 

The most interesting thing I found was there were no married men seeking SRS and not a single MTF reported ever having heterosexual sex!

"Cries from within " - book review

As far as I know, this is the only book about transsexualism in Singapore and it was published in 1991.   It was written by the doctors in the sex change team.  They include the late Professor S S Ratnam (who did the first SRS in Singapore), Dr Tsoi and Dr Victor Goh (the endocrinologist).  

The book is now out of print and Longman does not even have it on their computerized records.   It is available as a reference book in the National Library branches.   The ISBN number is 9971-89-851-9.

The interesting facts and figures that Dr Tsoi mentioned in his chapter were: 

The team treated  282 MtF transsexuals.  ( There was a total of 413 TS's, 282 MtF, 131 FtM)

• Age: 15 - 43 Average: 23.5, 50% < 25
•  50% worked normal hours, 30% at night
• Suicide rate: low due to availability of SRS
• They were all mentally healthy
• Onset  of TS feelings averaged 8.8 years
• Started petting at 15, anal sex at 16
• By 18,  64% cross-dressed in public
• By 21, 59% were living full time as women and by 24, 60% were doing so
•  59% were in a Female social role at 21; 60% at 24

The absolute criteria that had to be fulfilled before they were allowed to have their sex change were: 

• Sastisfy American Psychiatric Association criteria 
• Becoming a member of the opposite sex should be primary motivation
• on hormones, cross dress and cross live for 6 months
• free from psychotic and psychopathic personality disorders

However, ideally the team felt that their patients should also be: 

• age: 21 - 40
• average intelligence
• good physical and mental health
• economically and emotionally independent
• good educational, occupational and social relationships
• good family understanding and support
• no history of heterosexual practice
• have appearance and body-build appropriate for the opposite sex
• feel comfortable living the life of the opposite sex 

I had an opportunity to speak to the author and he clarified that a history of heterosexual activity is compatible with transsexualism but it makes transition more difficult.  

The books states that:

• A total of 110 MtF (of 282 patients the team saw) had SRS. 
• 45 of 110 were followed up for 2 - 8 years.  14 (32%) got married post-op.  None were married pre-op. 
• Post-operatively 62% said life better than before, 38% said their life was fair (same as before).   

WHERE ELSE I FOUND INFORMATION

Visit Lynn Conway's site.   It contains a wealth of information.   Read about the lives of women who have transitioned successfully and see for yourself how accomplished and respectable they are.  

Thank you very much Lynn, you were a great help and I hope that you will succeed in gaining acceptance for transsexuals everywhere.  

Elizabeth Anne recommended the book "True Selves.  Understanding Transsexualism - For Families, Coworkers and Helping Professionals" by Mildred L Brown and Chloe Ann Rounsley.  I ordered it through Amazon and it cost me around S$50.  It is a worthwhile investment.  It will help you understand yourself better.  This book is available at the National Library.  

If you're contemplating transitioning it is definitely worthwhile visiting Andrea James' website.   A friend of mine who had SRS highly recommends this site.   She found Andrea's advice useful, accurate and sound during her own transition.   Lynn Conway describes Andrea's site as the "Bible" for Male to Female Transsexuals.  

The other site that gives information specifically about Transgenderism in Asia is Sam Winter's Transgender Asia site.  There was a Singapore lady who has transitioned successfully and wrote a short biography.  Unfortunately, the link no longer exists.

It is worth having a look at Anne Lawrence's site for transsexual women.   The attraction of  her site is that it contains much  medical information.   There are also pre- and post-operative photographs of women who have had surgery.  It will give someone contemplating surgery an idea of what to expect.   

For some information about HRT, follow this link