Dancing Along The Edge (June 10, 2012)

Past 90 minutes

An inner debate rages

Throughout my mind

Taking me

from my sleep.

Not sure

Why my subconscious

Has brought this

To the foreground.

Yet

Don't understand

This conflicting argument.

How society accepts

Without blinking an eye

Validity of cosmetic surgery

For vanity reasons.

While

It decrying SRS

As "mutilating"

My body.

Big enough

Bank account

With right plastic surgeon

I can emerge.

Looking

A totally different person

From the original consultation.

Think of it

Sitting in

A very expensive restaurant

Ordering off it's menu.

Instead of

Food served

Procedures provided.

Oh look

For two grand

My backside

Can look like J.Lo's.

Another grand

For Katherine Hepburn's

High cheekbone.

Twenty more grand

For "D" cup breast.

Or

Five grand combo deal

Liposuction and tummy tuck.

In Ontario

My gender can be change

If the surgeon signs

The right form

From a simple nose job.

Heaven forbid

Should I like my body

But want the matching genital 

Of the gender

I am presenting to others.

Forced to undergo

Psychological evaluation

In an institution

Known for

Its' transphobic attitude

Before getting approval.

Gee

Lucky me. 

Therisa © 2012

Author's Note: Since, I wrote this poem, four years ago, a lot has changed, in Ontario, for those, who are seeking approval for SRS, and for the trans-community, at large. British Columbia and Ontario, are the only two province/territories, in Canada, that allow a trans-person to change their gender assignment on their birth certificate, without the need of any surgeries, of any kind. Just a doctor's note, explaining why the person would benefit from this, and a small payment, accompanied, with the properly filled out paperwork.

In March 2016, the province of Ontario announced, it was removing the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), as the sole gatekeeper, for approval of gender assignment surgeries, sharing the responsibilities, with local trained health care providers. In an attempt, to ease the growing 2+ year backlog of cases, at the CAMH gender clinic. Prompting an Ottawa man, to sue the provincial government over the lengthy waiting period, he was forced to endure, before going private and taking out a $7100 personal loan. for his top surgery. After the surgery, he received word, his application had been approved for the very surgery, he paid for. Due to wording of the health act, which covers SRS, he can't be refunded the cost of the surgery, hence, the law suit, and the change, in SRS approval.

Starting, in 2017, all driver licences issued, in Ontario, will be given the choice of selecting what gender, they want shown on it, either F (female), M (female) or X (none). As Ontario health cards issued this year, have no gender displayed on them. While, the federal government of Justin Trudeau, has announced that it's studying plans, on issuing a gender neutral passports, like Australia and New Zealand does, for it's trans-citizens. Replacing the draconian policy, the Harper administration implemented, in 2012, which requires all transpeople to carry a passport, in their birth gender, if they are pre-op. Only allowing a temporary passport, if they are having SRS, in the following two years, and must be accompanied, with a doctor's note, saying so, to be valid.

I do hope, Canada adopts a passport, similar to Australia and New Zealand. Failing that, moves in line, with Great Britian and the United States, which allows a pre-op trans-person, to have a passport, to be issued that identifies us, in our chosen gender, and not, the current policy.

Must admit, all of the prices for the various body modification, are totally made up, by me. I don't have the slightest clue, for the real cost, of these procedures. Except, they're not cheap.