Transsexual

A transsexual is a person who identifies themselves as the opposite sex and gets a sex change operation as well as takes testosterone or estrogen.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transsexualWe each have both a physical gender and a gender identity. A transsexual identifies with the gender opposite his or her physical gender and undergoes an operation to change his or her sex organs to accommodate their gender identity.http://www.transgendercare.com/guidance/what_is_gender.htm

Transsexuals are rare and, even with the minimal data available, the ratio between transsexuals and the rest of the population is estimated to be anywhere from 1 - 2,000 to 1 - 125,000.https://www.msu.edu/~alliance/faq/faqtransgendered.html#1.15This small percentage of transsexuals in our culture creates both isolation to those who identify as their opposite gender, as well as prevents the majority of people from understanding the transgendered lifestyle that these people live.

Sex change operations are also known as gender reassignment surgery, or GRS, and is the last step in transitioning from male to female, or female to male. It often involves removing the genitalia of the old sex and replacing it with the organ of the new sex.http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/64/Sex-change-surgery.html

Female to male surgery is typically more complicated than the other way around because there is no way of creating a working penis out of the woman's clitoris.http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/64/Sex-change-surgery.htmlMost of the time, a woman transitioning to a man will only get surgery on the top part of his body due to this problem. Male to female is a bit simpler since a vagina can be created normally using skin grafts from other places on the body.http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/64/Sex-change-surgery.html

Contrary to popular belief, sex reassignment surgery is not the main factor in transitioning from one gender to the other. Hormones, in fact, do most of the changing. Both estrogen and testosterone take at least two years to fully kick in and will effect each individual completely differently. Testosterone is typically injected while estrogen is commonly taken in pill form, although injecting methods are available.http://www.translife.net/tg101/testosterone.htmThere are risks also that go along with taking hormones, including:

With Estrogen

• Increased risk of breast cancer and blood clotting
• Infertility
• Dehydration
• Lessened sex drive

With Testosterone

• Increased risk for heart disease, breast cancer and stroke
• Infertility
• Aggressiveness
• Increase in sex drive
• Acnehttp://www.translife.net/tg101/testosterone.htm

These are just some of the risks, but transgendered people who decide to transition fully to the opposite sex are also deciding to take the chance in order to live their lives the way they feel most like themselves.