Yet another brief survey

[JesusA (imported)]

Colleagues of ours in Canada are collaborating with a urologist, who does gender affirming surgeries and who is willing to do orchiectomies for individuals who seek “emasculation without feminization.” Our colleagues want to collect some research data, on a voluntary basis, from individuals who come to that clinic for orchiectomies only.

Whether those clients would be eligible for the surgery or not would be totally independent of whether they participated in the survey research. But the survey would be asked of them both at the time of their surgery and at two or three times over the following year or two to assess whether their quality of life had improved from their surgery.

In designing their survey, there is a debate about what sort of questions would be useful to ask to assess quality of life and surgical satisfaction. One member of the team favours adding a variety of questions to find out about the clients' sexual orientation, partnerships, and sexual history. Another member of the team argues for avoiding such questions because it adds time to the survey and doesn't necessarily give us information about how the surgery will affect quality of life. It could also be uncomfortable or repetitive for some people to answer these questions (although they would not be obligated to answer all of them, if they elect to be part of the survey research).

The members of the clinic's research team have asked that I survey the community right now to find out how comfortable they would be in answering those types of questions, and whether they think that information is relevant to their care or surgery in a clinic where they could safely get an orchiectomy. Once again, the orchiectomy would be independent of whether they participated in such a survey.

So here then are their questions:

1. What is your castration status?

Already castrated

Seeking castration

Just interested in the subject

2. If there was a supportive clinic where a certified urologist would provide an orchiectomy, would you be willing to participate in multiple 15-30 minute surveys before and after your surgery?

Yes/No

3. Would you be comfortable answering questions about your:

a. sexual orientation? Y/N

b. partnership status? Y/N

c. sexual history? Y/N

4. Do you feel that providing the clinic information on the following topics would benefit the quality of your healthcare or the outcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation? Y/N

b. partnership status? Y/N

c. sexual history? Y/N

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

6. Are there questions that would preclude you from participating in such research, if you were asked about them? If so what are those topical areas?

Our thanks for giving us your feedback on this, we appreciate your time and input. What we can also say is that this clinic is real and truly committed to helping men to get surgeries that would be beneficial to them in the long run.

[seanthomas (imported)]

Not sure I would be relevant to the study as I was electively castrated, but for medical reason (recurrent torsions due to bell clapper deformity)

1. What is your castration status?

Already castrated

2. If there was a supportive clinic where a certified urologist would provide an orchiectomy, would you be willing to participate in multiple 15-30 minute surveys before and after your surgery?

Yes/No

3. Would you be comfortable answering questions about your:

a. sexual orientation? Y/

b. partnership status? Y/

c. sexual history? Y/

4. Do you feel that providing the clinic information on the following topics would benefit the quality of your healthcare or the outcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation?

N

b. partnership status? N

c. sexual history? N

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

A. If you were castrated already do you have any regrets?

B. If not castrated are you fully aware of the consequences of not using TRT?

a. Potential for loss of libido

b. Potential for impotence (ED)

c. Other health effects

d. Risks of using TRT

Hope this helps!

[Losethem (imported)]

1. Already castrated. - Actually externally emasculated, no penis, testicles, or scrotum.

2. Yes - I'm already castrated, but if it were to help other patients I would have gladly participated in such a survey.

3. A - Yes B - Yes C - Yes

4. A - Yes B - Yes C - Yes - These answers are helpful to determine intent and sincerity for the surgery.

5. Yes, things such as what we hope to achieve from castration, if we know the permanent and irreversible effects of castration, What we wish our hormonal status to be after our testicles are removed (IE do we plan to take testosterone, estrogen, or nothing, etc.), How long we have desired the surgery or knew it was right for us (this one goes to sincerity and need and helps the practitioner understand if this is a proper course of action).

6. Asking our sexual orientation is enough. if our answer is we are gay or bisexual, DO NOT ask us if we are the active or passive partner - it's none of your damn business. DO NOT ask us about any strange things you may see on our genitals unless they are actual medical issues (IE something like a potentially cancerous lesion). This might include scarring, atrophy, etc. which may be indicative of a previous attempt to achieve this at our own hand. Those issues can be gone over with a therapist ahead of surgery. And that is something which should be required... I know many in the community feel otherwise, but it's important to establish the man requesting castration be understood to have knowledge of what he's asking for (yes, a no brainer, but still...), and that he is capable of giving informed consent to have the surgery. A similar clearance is done for individuals making a complete binary gender transition.

[Missouri_Steer (imported)]

1. Already castrated.

2. Yes.

3a. have lived in all three categories. but mostly Gay

3b. Single

3c. ?

4a. n

4b. n

4c. n

5. n/a

6. n/a

[NovaMike (imported)]

1. What is your castration status?

Seeking castration

2. If there was a supportive clinic where a certified urologist would provide an orchiectomy, would you be willing to participate in multiple 15-30 minute surveys before and after your surgery?

Maybe. I would want to know what is being asked, how the information would be used, and if the results are anonymous or part of my profile.

3. Would you be comfortable answering questions about your:

a. sexual orientation? Y

b. partnership status? Y

c. sexual history? Y

4. Do you feel that provi

ding the clinic information on the following topics

would benefit the quality of your healthcare or the outcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation?

N

b. partnership status? N

c. sexual history? N

I am not sure how completing the survey would personally benefit me unless the questions were asked more on a personal reflection way where my responses might help me determine if castration was right for me.

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

I am not really sure. I want clinics to be more willing to offer castration, but at the same time, I want them to do what they can to educate patients on the pros and cons and help them make the best decision.

6. Are there questions that would preclude you from participating in such research, if you were asked about them? If so what are those topical areas?

I don't know.

I am seeking castration and I am somewhat frustrated that it isn't easy to find support in this area and that there seem to be few options when it comes to doctors who will perform castration without gender assignment. When I tried to join Plume, I attended one of their online sessions. It was nice to know there was an organization that supported the transgender community, but I also got the impression they would take someone at their word that they were seeking transgender support instead of really evaluating each individual and their needs. I wanted someone who would invest time in personally helping me find my path and not just help me on their existing path. I don't want it to be as common as making an appointment for an oil change or to feel like I am being offered a one size fits everyone solution.

[eunuchjeff (imported)]

Answers:

[quote="JesusA (imported)" time=1611

366000]
1. What is your castration status?

Already castrated

2. If there was a supportive clinic where a certified urologist would provide an orchiectomy, would you be willing to participate in multiple 15-30 minute surveys before and after your surgery? Yes

3. Would you be comfortable answering questions about your:
[/quote]


sexual orientation? Yes

partnership status? Yes

sexual history? Yes

[quote="JesusA (importe

d)" time=1611366000]
4. Do you feel that providing the clinic information on the following topics would

benefit the quality of your healthcare or the outcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation? Y
[/quote]
es

b. partnership status? Yes

c. sexual history? Yes

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

Hormonal treatment

Sexual activity

Sexual and personal satisfaction

Other surgical desires

6. Are there questions that would preclude you from participating in such research, if you were asked about them? If so what are those topical areas?

Probably, but I can't think what they might be right now.

[Keineier (imported)]

[quote="JesusA (imported)" time=161

1366000]
1. What is your castration status?

Already castrated

2. If there was a supportive clinic where a certified urologist would provide an orchiectomy,

would you be willing to participate in

multiple 15-30 minute surveys before and after your surgery?

[/quote]


Moot question--I'm already castrated.

[quote="JesusA (imported)" time

=1611366000]
3. Would you be c

omfortable answerin

g questions about your:

a. sexual orientation? Y

b. partn
[/quote]
ership s

tatus? Y

c. sexual history? Y

4. Do you feel that providing the clinic information on the following topics

would benefit the quality of your healthcare or the outcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation? Y

b. partnership status? Y

c. sexual history? Y

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

In my particular situation, adjustment to being castrated for medical purposes (testicular masses suspicious for cancer) might be illuminating.

6. Are there questions that would preclude you from participating in such research, if you were asked about them? If so what are those topical areas?

ANY identifying information. Other than that, ask away.

[eunuch77 (imported)]

Ответы:

1. Какой у вас статус кастрации?

Уже кастрированы

2. Если бы существовала поддерживающая клиника, где сертифицированный уролог проводил бы орхиэктомию, были бы вы готовы участвовать в нескольких 15-30-минутных опросах до и после операции? Да

3. Было бы удобно отвечать на вопросы о вашей:

сексуальной ориентации? Да

статус партнерства? Да

сексуальная история? Да

4. Считаете ли вы, что предоставление информации о клинике по следующим темам повлияет на качество вашего медицинского обслуживания или на результат вашей операции?

а. сексуальная ориентация? Да

б. статус партнерства? Да

c. сексуальная история? да

[erikboy (imported)]

1. What is your castration status?

Seeking castration

(not very actively)

[quote="JesusA (imported)" ti

me=1611366000]
2. If there was a supportive clinic where a certified urologist would provide an orchiec

tomy, would you be willing to participate in multiple 15-30 minute surve

ys before and af

ter your surgery?

Yes

3. Would you be comfortable answering que[quote="Nov

aMike (imported)" time=1611391200]
stions about your:

a. sexual

orientation? Y
[/qu

ote]


b. p

artnership status? Y

c. sexual history? Y

[quote="Jesu
[/quote]
sA (import

ed)" time=1611366000]
4. Do you feel that providing the clinic information on the following topics would benefit the quality of your healthcare or the o

utcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation?
[/quote]
N

b. partnership status? Y

c. sexual history? Y

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

Before:

Ask questions in a way that patient is well aware of possible negative side effects and how to treat them. Also that all these negative effects might be very prominent or barely noticeable, it varies a lot.

Ask if there is a previous experience with chemical castration and what are the impressions with chem castration.

Ask if he wishes to have sperm frozen before surgery. And offer that option.

Ask about history of desire to get castrated.

After:

2 weeks: how it is healing, if there are physical problems

1 month: Are castration effects satsifactory? what is different from expectations.

1 year: basically same questions as 1 month

6. Are there questions that would preclude you from participating in such research, if you were asked about them? If so what are those topical areas?

[JockItch (imported)]

[quote="JesusA (imported)" time=161

1366000]
1. What is your castration status?
[/

quote]


Already castrated

2. If there was a supportive clinic w

here a certified urologist would provide an orchiec

tomy, would you be willing to participate in multi

ple 15-30 minute surve

ys before and after your surgery?

Yes

3. Would you be comfortable answering que[q

uote="Nov

aMike (imported)" time=1611391200]
[quote="seanthomas (imported)" [quote="eunuchjeff (imported)" time=1

611396360]
time=1611368940]

stions about your:

a. sexual orientation? Y
[/qu
[/quote]
ote]
[/quote]



b. partnersh

ip status? N

c. sexual history? N

4. Do you feel that providing the clinic information on the following to

pics wo

uld benefit the quality of your healthcare or the o

utcome of your surgery?

a. sexual orientation?

N

b. partnership status? N

c. sexual history? N

5. Are there things that you wish such a clinic/survey would ask you about both before and after your castration? If so what are they?

What my plans were for hormone replacement, if any, after castration, and what hormones I'm on after castration.

Whether I plan on keeping my scrotum or other post-castration surgeries I might want or have obtained.

6. Are there questions that would preclude you from participating in such research, if you were asked about them? If so what are those topical areas?

I think I would shy away from questions that don't appear directly relevant to the medical outcome or impact of castration.