Sex-Reassignment Rules in Shiite Jurisprudence

BACKGROUND The "Sex-Reassignment Surgery" is a solution that besides behavioral therapy has been suggested to people suffering from gender identity disorders in recent years. In Iran, this trend has become more popular over the past years due to the inclination to reach to the goal rapidly with less effort and also the surgery has attracted many patients with the problem. Religious clerics have tried to determine the religious doctrines for this practice and as a result a group of them favor an absolute permission while others choose prohibition and some of them favor a middle path. The aim of this study was to determine the religious doctrines for Sex-Reassignment and legitimate treatment for GID. METHODS The research method was a library research based on which an investigation was done by analyzing the relevant books, articles and dissertations. Primary documents of Islamic sources (Quran and tradition) along with scientific, medical and psychological materials were used in this research. RESULTS In this study, the survey shows that none of the reasons have the power to deliver a definitive and religious ruling on this issue because the validity of its reasons is related to the reality of "Sex-Reassignment". CONCLUSION The results demonstrate that Sex-Reassignment is prohibited and it is not authorized. In case of urgency for doing the surgery, the gender of the person should not be changed.