Religious Attitudes Toward Gender-Confirming Surgery

Abstract

This chapter explores the attitudes of the world’s major religions toward transgender/gender-diverse people and GCS. Within each of these faith traditions, mainline Protestantism, Evangelical Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and others, there is a range of opinions as to whether GCS is prohibited, permitted, or obligatory to affect a change in gender for religious/ritual purposes. Some religions distinguish between genital and non-genital GCS. It is important for the surgeon to understand what resources might exist for the patient from within their faith community.