‘Deep down I also knew I was not a boy; I identified as being a girl’
body physically, but it has already improved her mental state.
“I feel stronger mentally and much more confident. I don’t have to battle with my feelings and hide… I’m finally me and it feels good.
“Even though coming out as transgender woman was difficult and has resulted in rejection and my family disowning me, it’s the best decision that I’ve made for myself,” she says.
Gender-affirming surgery has been in the news more recently after Caitlyn Jenner had such surgery early this year. In her memoir,
which came out in April, the 67-year-old former Olympian said she felt “wonderful and liberated” after she had the sex reassignment surgery in January.
Born Bruce Jenner, she publicly announced her transition from male to female about two years ago.
Britz, who came out of her closet about her gender at 49, when she started counselling sessions at Groote Schuur Transgender Unit, also recognises that she is extremely lucky to have her gender-affirming surgery within seven years of transitioning into transgender woman. For others, the waiting period for surgery can take more than 20 years.
The gender clinic, which is tailored to the needs of transgender patients, can only perform four gender affirming surgeries a year as the Western Cape Department of Health allocates four days of the year for gender surgeries. Surgeons can operate for up to eight to 12 hours on each of those days. The hospital covers gender surgeries, including breast and pelvic procedures, according to a sliding scale of income.
Dr Kevin Adams, a plastic surgeon who performed the surgery on Britz, said resources are so overwhelmed by demand that the waiting period for gender surgery in the Western Cape is about 25 years. As private procedures cost between R200 000 and R300 000, many transgender patients have no choice but to wait.
Adams said surgeons perform the surgery by reconstructing the original genitals of recipients.
The gender clinic – which provides plastic surgeons, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, social workers and gender activists who work together to provide transgender FREE AT LAST: Adele Britz from Strand has finally had surgery to transfo REALISTIC: Janet Mock is a former People Magazine editor, transgender activist and author of the memoir
services in the Western Cape – is often referred to as the best unit of its kind in the country.
In the past three years, Adams said the hospital has performed 13 gender surgeries, and this year it has already performed five such operations, mainly men transitioning into transgender women.
The ratio of trans women to trans men is 2 to 1… men transitioning to women is twice as common.
Asked how the unit decides who
Formerly Bradley, Chelsea Manning is a former US Army intelligence analyst and wellknown public whistle-blower.
receives surgery first, Adams said: “All patients have equal priority unless their treatment is life-threatening. It would be unreasonable to take away the opportunity to have breast reconstruction from a woman who survived breast cancer, or a person who has a disfigured face after a car accident. Recipients are prioritised strictly on time of presentation. ”
Ronald Addinall-Van Straaten, a UCT lecturer, clinical social worker