Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History, Volume XXVI

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
This is Dr. Marci Bowers. She's an obstetrical surgeon who practices out of Seattle, Washington, and Trinidad, Colorado. She's one of the leading gender reassignment surgeons in the United States, and underwent the procedure herself eleven years ago.

She's also recently learned to perform a procedure called "clitoralplasty," or "female circumcision reversal." This procedure allows the victims of female genital mutilation to have the violence done to their bodies repaired in both functional and cosmetic ways, relieving them of the pain and scar tissue associated with this horrific practice.

Dr. Bowers waives her fee for these procedures, and the hospital where she practices caps their fees at $1,700.00 because the procedure is so new most insurance companies won't pay. Surgeons who perform this procedure frequently receive death threats from radical Muslims. When asked if she was afraid, Dr. Bowers replied, "I've jumped through enough fires and over enough barbed-wire fences in my life by now. I do not fear for my safety."

Well done, Dr. Bowers. Well done, indeed.

6 comments:

vince said...

I think that's fantastic, and it's also fantastic that the hospitals cap their fees so low.

Janiece said...

Vince, I think so, too. Those ladies have certainly suffered enough without having to pay huge medical bills for reconstructive surgery!

Steve Buchheit said...

Wow, I didn't know it was reversible. I'm assuming the nerve damage is permanent, but still a good (and regrettably necessary) procedure. (just read article of procedure). She's able to restore the clitoris (or actually reposition the remanent)? Just amazing.

John the Scientist said...

Steve - the nerve damage at the top is permanent, but the nerves underneath are still good, and she brings those to the top. The clitoris is a lot larger than those stone age spiritual savages realize, so there often is something to salvage.

For once, let's hear it for ignorance!

Janiece said...

Let's hear it for Dr. Pierre Foldes, who pioneered the procedure.

neurondoc said...

Hear, hear.