A New Zealand teenage girl suffering from gender dysphoria has attempted to conduct a self-mastectomy after watching a tutorial video on YouTube.
According to the report, an 18-year-old girl with gender dysphoria tried to cut off her breast at home after watching a “how to” video on YouTube, preparing the equipment, and marking the incisions.
She also reportedly considered analgesia (pain relief medicine) and haemostasis, a process to stop bleeding.
At the time, the teenager was already on testosterone and was on a gender transition surgery waiting list.
When she rushed to seek medical attention several hours later, health professionals conducted complete breast removal surgery.
The report noted that the surgery came following discussions about the risks, including irreversible damage, poor cosmetic outcome/asymmetry, and loss of both nipples.
It also, however, described the incident as “an act of desperation” due to “long wait times of referral in the public healthcare system, an inability to afford a private consultation, and the significant psychological stress of having breasts at an upcoming pool party.”
It claimed that the operation was “uncomplicated” and the girl was discharged after one day.
Self-Attempted Mastectomy Or Self Mutilation?
The report described the incident as a “self-attempted gender-affirming mastectomy” that showed the need for the government to make gender surgery services more easily available.
“In Aotearoa New Zealand, limited access to gender-affirming surgery due to resources is an increasing issue. Currently, there is only one surgeon performing gender-affirmation operations,” it stated.
New Zealand’s local media has also adopted a similar tone when reporting on the issue.
But Rachael Wong, CEO of Women’s Forum Australia, a women’s rights think tank, argued such an angle distorted the truth.
She said the case should be looked at as a “teen girl told lies she’s a boy, self mutilates.”
“It should be triggering urgent action against a dangerous ideology that’s disproportionately harming teen girls.”
Risks Of Mental Illnesses
Previously, people who self-amputated their breasts have been those with active psychiatric disorders and experienced “acute triggers that likely initiated self-mutilation,” the article noted.
However, the 18-year-old girl was among a few cases of people who self-mutilated and “did not have a psychiatric disorder.”
There were 11,621 young people on puberty blockers in 2022 (3,143 females, 8,406 males, and 72 people of “unknown” gender) compared to 6,181 people in 2012 (1,013 females, 5,158 males, and 10 people of “unknown” gender).
