The conversation surrounding gender has been ongoing for years, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Scientists and researchers are constantly identifying new genders that people can identify as, which broadens the scope of the discussion considerably. Some of these new genders include women, men, gender non-binary, and eunuch (men who have been castrated).
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), a pro-trans advocacy group, has recommended that eunuch be included as its own gender. The decision was made because men who choose to be castrated and remain to live as men are different from cisgender men as well transgender men. WPATH updated its “standards of care” guidelines to include the new gender after much discussion.
The 260-page document contains a new chapter on “eunuchs” as an underrepresented gender that is distinct from all the others. The group of authors suggests medical professionals and other caretakers should begin honoring eunuchs as their own separate gender identity.
The recent change to the gender document, written by National Health Service medics and various heads of United Kingdom transgender charities, suggests that castration changes a person’s gender. Therefore, they argue that men who are castrated should be allowed to identify as “eunuchs” in order to better reflect their gender identity.
A eunuch is a man who has had his testicles removed. In the past, servants were castrated to make them more servile or slaves had their sex organs removed so they could not reproduce. However, nowadays eunuchs choose to have their testes taken out because it better reflects their chosen gender identity.
Though WPATH’s suggestions are not legally binding, they could lead to a change in the medical field internationally. This is because other countries often look to Great Britain when making decisions about gender identity.
The WPATH’s new gender guidelines were published in The International Journal of Transgender Health. According to the document, men who are castrated should be able to match their chosen gender identity of eunuch more closely with how they feel about themselves.
“As with other gender diverse individuals, eunuchs may also seek castration to better align their bodies with their gender identity,” they stated. “Like other transgender and gender diverse individuals, eunuchs require access to affirming care to gain comfort with their gendered self.”
The new gender categorization has caused a stir, with some claiming that it might be intended to deride men who have had their testicles removed. Others are concerned that it may be utilized as a mechanism for controlling or compelling males to get castrated rather than allowing them to live their own lives free of coercion.
What are your thoughts on the new eunuchs’ gender category? Do you think it’s a step in the right direction, or could it be used to demean and dominate males?
