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