In what some are calling a misguided attempt to provide equal health services for its citizens, Sweden’s health authorities have only caused controversy by deciding to supply transsexual men with free prosthetic penises that don’t get erect. The intentions may have been noble, but most patients would apparently opt for a prosthetic penis precisely for its stiffening capabilities.
Cecilia Dhejne, a sexologist and specialist in psychiatry at Karolinska Hospital in the city of Huddinge, noted: “It’s easy to think that it’s pretty strange to approve prosthetics that can’t get erect, because that is after all what penises do – get erections. It would be appropriate to pay for those as well.”
Ottar, a monthly magazine published by the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, reported that the prosthetics will be offered to women who want a sex change operation as of 1 January 2009. The Local newspaper states the move was originally conceived as a way to promote equality as Sweden already offers publicly funded breast implants, wigs and hair removal for transsexual women. But the authorities seem to have missed the point with the flaccid penis concept.
In its defence, Sweden’s health authorities claimed they were unable to provide fully-functioning prosthetic penises for free because of laws that ban taxpayers’ money being used for products considered to be sexual aids.
Many is Sweden argue that it’s a case of two sensible laws unexpectedly conflicting to cause one bizarre legal precedent.
Yeah, STAN, that’s what kept the IMF busy for so long: the normal order of business was suspended while they all contemplated the Swedish prosthetic penis issue. Maybe if everyone on the planet focuses really hard for the next two minutes on this issue, we can get it out of the way and move on to the next issue.
Education moment for STAN: They don’t sew it on, silly. It goes in your pants instead of a sock. Much more fun that way, for the transguy or his lover. Helps people live happier lives, which the world needs right now.
”is NOT about physical sex,” Then why have the government pay to sew on a plastic pecker that has no function?-
It is quite common for transsexual men to use a prosthetic penis. It is part of the medical process of transition from physically female living as male. Female to male genitalia surgery does not work any where near as well as genital surgery for male to female transwomen which is why the majority of transmen tend to not have surgery to construct a penis. This medical process of altering one’s physical body to be in harmony with one’s mind, soul and spirit is NOT about physical sex, it is about who you are. For individuals born with physical genitalia congruent with their sexual orientation and gender identity, it is nearly impossible to begin to comprehend what being born in-congruent could be like and why one must under go medical treatment for this birth condition. No one get’s to choose how they are born, being born gender different is a hard reality of the human condition.
Iceland is falling apart and you have a story about peckers/’dongs’ that are plastic and do not work. Sad.