via guanabee.com

A 16-year-old Spaniard is set to undergo a surgery so that she can become female – that is, if she gets an ok from a Spanish judge. The teen’s parents have co-signed on their child’s operation, but Spanish law dictates that children under 18 who wish to undergo gender reassignment surgery must receive a judge’s approval, regardless of whether their parents are on board.

Dr. Ivan Mañero, head of the “gender disorders” unit of Barcelona Clinical Hospital, says the 16-year-old is an ideal candidate for gender reassignment surgery. Dr. Mañero, who was asked by the teen’s family to comment on the case on their behalf, likened the situation to denying a leukemia patient treatment until he or she turned 18. He argues that transgender teens deserve treatment for their very real medical problem now that they have viable solution to a treatable issue.

Adds Gina Serra of the Association of Transsexuals in Cataluña, “Kids as young as eight years old know what they are and what they are not, although their conviction depends on the level of support they receive from their families.”

If the judge in this case decides to approve the teen’s bid for gender reassignment surgery, it would be the first instance of a minor under the age of 18 undergoing such a procedure in Spain.

There exist, however, other cases where children under 18 have successfully undergone surgery. One famous(ish) examples is Kim Petras – a 16-year-old German pop star who was born Tim. Says Kim:

“I was asked if I feel like a woman now — but the truth is I have always felt like a woman — I just ended up in the wrong body.”

Then there was the case of a 17-year-old Argentine who went to court in order to get permission to undergo surgery because of laws “against mutilation.”

Maybe this case will be a baby step towards realizing that teenagers can be in charge of their gender identity and health.

El primer cambio de sexo de un menor en España, a la espera de un fallo judicial [El Pais]