I think we need to be sure we are using actual psychiatry on the whole gender thing and not allowing it to be political. Before we allow someone to mutilate themselves we should be sure. Does it effect me? No. But I care about people other than rich celebs who are struggling with these things.
We don't let an anorexic starve because they identify as fat when they are thin as a rail. We don't let schizophrenics loose, If the transgender thing is an illness it should be treated as such. If it is shown that surgery treats it and the person lives a good life after, then go for it.
Where is the data on post surgery? Probably on the internet but I don't care that much
"We" should not be allowed to dictate whether or not someone else is "allowed" to do something to their body so long as they are lucid and capable of making decisions for themselves. "We" have no intrinsic right to make these decisions for others. It doesn't matter whether or not they psychiatrically "self identify" as something they're not or if they simply wish to be different from what they are. The only issue should be (and generally is) whether or not the decision and its consequences are understood. Along these lines, the ultimate personal decision is suicide and to that end, right to die laws for the terminally ill have been passed in four states, including Oregon and Washington.
Perhaps *we* should not, but *we* should be able to pass laws about what is decent for someone to do someone else. Some german freak advertised on the interwebs that he wanted to eat someone and someone answered the ad. He killed and ate the dude, who voluntarily signed up for this. link
A responsible society holds dude accountable for mutilation, cannibalism and murder, whether or not his victim agreed to be mutilated or not. No one had any issue with the government saying that he line.
In the absence of coercion, these two gentlemen should absolutely be allowed to agree to and engage in this disgusting arrangement.
I'm pretty libertarian but I can't get myself to go that far.
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