Standardizing Sex

“This is a phenomenal contribution . . . one that will be of interest to historians of trans medicine, and scholars of social medicine and the welfare state more broadly.”  * Social History of Medicine * “This important book richly historicizes medical engagement with transgender individuals and the emergence of particular forms of practices and institutions in trans medicine. Slagstad decenters the history of the emergence of transgender medicine, redirecting our attention from North American gender identity clinics to the crucial role Scandinavian countries played in the development and establishment of transgender medical practices from the early twentieth century onwards. As he shifts from the local to the national to the regional to the global, he reveals a world in which seemingly universal tools and technologies are shaped by local traditions and acquire different meanings.” -- Sandra Eder, author of “How the Clinic Made Gender” “A landmark work showcasing the value of comprehensive research, Slagstad has powerfully revised our understanding of transgender medicine’s history through the lens of Nordic welfare states. Standardizing Sex teaches us why medical transition is subject to such baroque and exceptional restriction: its fictitious value to society has overridden its life-giving significance to people who transition. This book is essential reading for everyone seeking to understand the politicization and practice of medical transition.” -- Jules Gill-Peterson, author of “A Short History of Trans Misogyny”