A woman is suing two Wisconsin surgeons and University of Wisconsin (UW) Hospital, alleging that they performed sex-change surgeries without her proper consent.
The surgeons named in the lawsuit, Jay Lick and Katherine Gast, conducted surgeries on the woman when she was 19 and 21, removing her uterus and performing a double mastectomy, respectively, as reported by Wisconsin State Journal Friday. The lawsuit contends that the woman had self-diagnosed herself with gender dysphoria as a teenager, without an independent medical diagnosis by doctors.
Woman sues surgeons for allegedly removing her breasts, uterus without proper consent: suit https://t.co/fM2Iy2Y7P4 pic.twitter.com/IZ22I1fdpu
— New York Post (@nypost) November 5, 2023
The woman’s journey includes identifying as lesbian and then nonbinary to address psychological distress and childhood trauma. She eventually decided to detransition, ceasing testosterone therapy and attributing her mental distress to childhood trauma rather than her biological sex. (RELATED: Parents Sue To Block State Ban On Sex Change Surgeries For Minors)
As a result of these surgeries, the woman mourns her inability to conceive a family naturally, especially given her Jewish cultural background. UW Health, in response to the lawsuit, expressed its commitment to patient care but did not provide further details on the case or how informed consent is obtained at the hospital. “UW Health and its providers care deeply for the health and well-being of patients and work hard every day to ensure patients receive the best possible care,” spokesperson Sara Benzel told Wisconsin State Journal.
The woman’s attorney clarified that this lawsuit is focused on addressing the alleged personal injury matter and is not intended for public relations purposes. Wisconsin’s Senate recently approved a bill to ban sex-reassignment surgeries for minors, although the state’s governor, Tony Evers, indicated his intention to veto the measure. Further comments from UW Hospital and the woman’s attorney are pending.