[Avodah] Transgendering and Halachah

[Joseph C. Kaplan]

RTK: "It isn't a matter of "agreeing" or "disagreeing."    I am not  giving a 
halachic opinion with which he may agree or disagree.   He  gave a psak based 
on "facts" that turned out not to be factual.  It turns  out that transgender 
mutilation surgery does not in fact prevent suicide.   The risk of suicide 
in fact rises slightly after surgery."

It's true you're not giving an halachic opinion.  But since you have no professional expertise as a doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist in this topic, you're also not giving a "factual" opinion; you're simply repeating "facts" you read somewhere which, not surprisingly, fit in with your general political/hashkafic philosophy.  I'd be much more interested in "facts" on this issue presented by someone with real expertise and knowledge.  My guess is that before R. Waldenberg issued his psak that's how he obtained the facts on which it was based; not from someone without expertise who read something in a newspaper or on the internet.

Joseph Kaplan


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