Elliot Page undergoes “lifesaving” “top surgery”

[OnWednesdaysWeWearMink]

BBC R1 news beat has just reported that Elliot page has undergone “life saving” “top surgery”.

Here is the related web article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57239448

This reporting perpetuates the narrative that people will commit suicide if they don’t get the right sort of treatment. I find it deeply irresponsible. Does anyone know if Samaritans are tackling this sort of coverage in their media guidelines? I’d hope work is going on behind the scenes as they are a fantastic charity. (I assume they are not captured?)

A double mastectomy is usually lifesaving when it comes to breast cancer... so I find calling an elective cosmetic procedure lifesaving pretty insulting. But that’s just me being petty and not the main point.

The pictures in the article show the internal pain externalised. Like self harm puts the pain on the inside on the outside in order to try and make it somehow tangible. Of course this IS self-harm on a huge scale. Very sad.

@Justhadathought

How is it lifesaving exactly? Surely if someone is suicidal they need psychiatric help not surgery?Please explain

What the surgery does is temporarily displace some intense and dysphoric feelings. This is not the end of the journey, though. The negative feelings that found a focus on the breasts, will now find another outlet. The surgery offers temporary relief from suffering only. And to say it is 'life saving' is hyperbolic, and demeans the phrase.

Also such public celebration and exposure, in itself, cannot be healthy.
It is like watching a young person unravel in full public view. This is what social media and celebrity culture has brought us to.

Exactly my concerns. My relative (a transman) is going abroad to have this surgery next month. Has taken out a loan to do so. I'm concerned that they are taking a surgical route having had barely any counselling (already diagnosed Bipolar and suspected autism plus difficult childhood and Mother died fairly recently) and they are expecting this surgery to somehow 'fix' them. If they're happy afterwards then great, I'll be happy for them. But I'm very concerned that they are embracing their trans identity as the answer to all their problems instead of addressing the many other issues they have going on. It's really hard to support them through this and I'm really struggling with it. I just want them to be happy, but I have so many concerns.

Transphobes choose only one of these.

No transphobes here. Just concerned women with a strong interest in safeguards. And many of the women here do much more than type on keyboards. And because they do much more than that the gender house of cards is toppling. ☺️

What I do care about is the BBC posting about someone with healthy breasts having a double mastectomy in such a celebratory affirmative way.

It's almost as if this woman/person should be allowed to do what she wants with her own body....

The media likes to sensationalise of course. They don't care about anyone it may affect.

It could have been worded differently.

@Collaborate

I think you’d find that there would be similar outrage if any woman had this surgery, other than for actual life saving purposes (breast cancer being the obvious one).

It’s the reporting and statement that it is “life saving” surgery that is causing the outrage. Not especially that a trans person has had this surgery.

weebarra

Being transgender is about your inner gender identity. To say that certain genders need to have bodies that appear in a certain way is quite exclusionary.

So what's the difference between a transwoman who still looks like a male, and a male? And for those who wish to use sex segregated services for the female sex, how can we tell?

Body dysmorphia is a separate condition that doesn't require any existence of or change to any gender identity.

Yet they are all lumped under the trans umbrella. You best go and speak to stonewall about that. Sounds to me that their approach to this is transphobic then.

What I am concerned about is irresponsible media reporting that could lead to more suicides. Does anyone know if Samaritans are engaging with news outlets about this?

When someone takes their own life by a jumping from a bridge, Samaritans recommend the media report it as a person falling from a bridge.

Samaritans recommend against romanticising suicide - for example they recommend against “Genie, you’re free now” social posts about Robin William’s death. That sort of post may seem innocent/ kind - but it romanticises taking your life.

I feel this sort of reporting falls under the same category. What is being done to help journalists report responsibly?

I’m not offended or trying to nitpick, I am just concerned and this is a complex issue.

It is lifesaving for a trans person.

Then it's odd that Elliot survived for so long, and was able to have a successful career, before going down this route.

It is not transphobic to point out how dangerous this reporting is. It is not attacking Elliot Page personally, and it is not being mean to people because they are trans. It is saying that to present transitioning surgery as lifesaving encourages young people who are identifying as trans in in creasing numbers, to perceive themselves as potentially suicidal if they don't get surgery. It goes directly against the advice given by people like the Samaritans who understand the sometimes contagious nature of suicidal feelings and behaviour.

If anything, this is a concern that this type of reporting causes unnecessary harm to trans people by making the more likely to start to feel suicidal even if they didn't already. And we think that is a bad thing.

That is transphobic how exactly? Please explain.

@Orangesandlemons77

I'm new here, but have been trying to support a friend with a daughter who has decided they want to be male.

I can see that looking at this article would make it seem like a great plan to have surgery, with all the positive comments from celebs etc

Not very balanced reporting from the BBC. And unsure about the 'lifesaving' narrative.

It's not balanced at all. I would encourage people to complain to the BBC every time they thrust this propaganda at us, this is not what the licence fee is for: www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/Complaint

[quote Leafstamp]@Collaborate

I think you’d find that there would be similar outrage if any woman had this surgery, other than for actual life saving purposes (breast cancer being the obvious one).

It’s the reporting and statement that it is “life saving” surgery that is causing the outrage. Not especially that a trans person has had this surgery.[/quote]
It's curious the froth you seem to get yourself in to about EP's surgery. It's literally none of your business.

Oh, and your two sentences directly contradict each other.

'"Persons with transsexualism, after sex reassignment, have considerably higher risks for mortality, suicidal behaviour, and psychiatric morbidity than the general population. Our findings suggest that sex reassignment, although alleviating gender dysphoria, may not suffice as treatment for transsexualism,'

journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0016885

@SoupDragon

Well, this is scraping the barrel of "trans things to complain about".

Jesus.

This is not a “trans thing to complain about”. This is a suicide prevention thing to think about.

I’m surprised more people aren’t upset about the way the media reports on trans suicide/suicidal ideation. It seems grossly irresponsible, regardless of one’s opinion on trans issues.

There are people who manage their dysphoria with transition, people who manage it without and people who desist. I think the way suicide is referenced so often around trans people is unhealthy to say the least.

@Wannabangbang

It is lifesaving for a trans person. Only on Mn do transphobic people come out for all to see. See. It frequently on these boards.

How? Where is the evidence of trans people dying when they can't get elective surgery?

Article on women who have 'detransitioned'

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7541679/Hundreds-youths-gender-surgery-wish-hadnt-says-head-advocacy-network.html

It is all of our business if we are parents, or anyone who cares about the young people being affected by this. It is my business as a mum of a tween girl to not want to BBC to promote a mastectomy as something that a trans man needs or he will be suicidal. Given that many girls are identifying as trans boys at the moment and often then change their minds, what we do not want is to encourage suicidal thoughts and hasty mastectomies.

...

Why should Elliot Page having elective surgery generate such a response on this site? Call me daft but I am pretty certain that has been answered, a few times, upthread!

It's curious the froth you seem to get yourself in to about EP's surgery. It's literally none of your business.

Well when they tell the world all about it then the world will have an opinion on it. ☺️ Especially with irresponsible reporting that can impact on kids. Putting it out there makes it everyone's business.

Collaborate I don't think people are particularly in a froth, I think people are rightly concerned about implying things that cause suicide. You do know that The Samaritans have rules on this that the press are expected (obliged?) to follow?

I'm not sure what you mean about my two sentences contradicting themselves, but perhaps I didn't make myself clear and we have crossed wires.

I meant that it is not especially EP' trans status that makes this irresponsible reporting.

It's curious the froth you seem to get yourself in to about EP's surgery. It's literally none of your business.

I agree that the surgery is no-one else's business. But the dishonest reporting of the surgery and the likely effect that reporting will have on vulnerable young women is absolutely our business.

The issue isn't an adult making their own decision.

The issue is that there has been a 4000+% rise in young girls claiming they're trans, and they're being told by celebrities/news outlets/charities that trans=suicidal, that if you don't get healthy body parts removed, you should feel suicidal.

Instead of crying 'transphobes', open your eyes and see how dangerous this is for young children. This is not how you discuss suicide, this is careless and fucking dangerous and it's inviting tragedy.