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THE STRAITS TIMES SATURDAY. JULY 31, 1971
First sex change surgery in S’pore
By JOSEPH YEO: Singapore. Fri.
SINGAPORE’S first sex change operation was successfully carried out on a 24-year-old man at Kandang Kerbau Hospital yesterday.
The three-hour operation was performed by three top surgeons from the University of Singapore’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology.
It was described as a "great success" and the first operation of its kind ever performed in this region.
The name, address and details of the patient are being kept a secret. No pictures were allowed to be taken.
Medical sources say that the patient, who is a Singapore Chinese citizen, is now resting at the hospital and will be allowed to return home in a fortnight.
The patient, who is not married, has been using a woman's name and has dressed as a woman for many years.
It all happened several months ago when he was said to be feeling "very uneasy and desperate."
'Fixed female'
He consulted surgeons for a possible operation.
But the operation was delayed because they felt he should be subjected to full investigations, including a thorough psychological analysis by a team of psychiatrists.
The psychiatrists found he was a "fixed female" and needed surgical corrections.
Medical experts discussed the case at length before seeking legal clearance for the operation.
One medical source said today: "This is Singapore’s first attempt at sex change operation and it turned out to be a big success."
But for the patient, final results of the operation will only be known in three to six months' time.
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This article was archived by Roy Tan.