Prayagraj UPSC Aspirant Cuts Off Genitals After Gender Identity Struggle, Survives Emergency Surgery

Teen’s Extreme Step

A shocking case from Prayagraj has made headlines after a 17-year-old boy cut off his own genitals. The teenager, who had come to Prayagraj to prepare for the UPSC exams, was found bleeding heavily in his rented room and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors say he is out of danger now but will need further treatment.

Struggling Since Age 14

According to hospital officials, the boy had been struggling with gender identity disorder since he was about 14 years old. He first noticed his feelings when he took part in a school dance and realized he felt more like the girls he was dancing with. He did not share this with his parents, who live in their village — his father is a farmer and his mother a homemaker.

Gender dysphoria, previously called gender identity disorder, is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a mismatch between a person’s experienced or expressed gender and the sex they were assigned at birth. People with this condition often struggle to fit into traditional male or female roles in society. ¹

This can expose them to cultural stigma, create difficulties in their relationships with family and friends, and lead to social rejection.

These challenges are associated with depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, low self-esteem, and a poor sense of well-being.

Local Doctor’s Role

The teenager began searching online about how a boy can become a girl. In his search, he reportedly came in contact with a local doctor named Dr. Zenith. Reports say that the doctor advised the boy to cut off his genitals and even guided him on how to use anesthesia and a surgical blade for the procedure.

At Home Surgery Blunder

Acting on this advice, the boy arranged anesthetic drugs, blades and other items, and performed the act alone in his room. When he started bleeding and experienced severe pain, he was taken to Tej Bahadur Sapru Hospital. He was later shifted to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, where doctors stabilised him. The medical team has said that they are working on creating a new urinary passage.

Family and Doctors’ Comments

The boy’s mother, who has been with him at the hospital, has pleaded with doctors to “restore him to his original state.”

Doctors have said that apart from surgery, counselling will also be required to help him recover mentally.

Reference

1. Garg, Garima; Ghada Elshimy; and Raman Marwaha. “Gender Dysphoria.” StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing. Last updated July 11, 2023. NCBI Bookshelf, NBK532313. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532313/.

(Rh/Eth/ARC/MSM)