This month is very important for Brazilian history! Let's find out why?

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Transcript:

Let’s talk a little bit about the history of medical procedures for trans people.

In 1971 the first gender affirmation surgery for trans women was performed in Brazil, and the doctor responsible for it, Roberto Farina, was investigated for mutilation, which caused a commotion in the entire medical community, almost 20 researchers located in many countries sent letters supporting Farina. “It’d be a mistake from the legal authorities in Brazil to prosecute Dr. Farina for following an internationally respected and accepted medical procedure,” said John Money, a plastic surgeon from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. That was not enough to convince the judge. In September 1978, he sentenced the doctor to imprisonment for 2 years. Just a year before, the brilliant writer João Nery had also had a procedure done by Dr. Farina.

The letters kept coming, and Waldirene, his original patient, would retrieve letters in his defense in her hometown. The last supporting statement was from Waldirene’s father, Espiridião, who said she was perfectly healthy and had great relationships with people around her. The sentence was dropped in November 1979.

Finally, in 2008, gender affirmation surgery and HRT started being offered by SUS, the national public healthcare service. Since then, over 400 procedures have been done! I, myself am currently receiving gender-affirming care on SUS and it has been a wonderful experience, one that amidst all the chaos of the last years, makes me proud to be Brazilian.

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