Judge Jorge Luís Costa Beber, from the Court of Justice of Santa Catarina, ordered that a transsexual be compensated after his health plan refused to cover the costs of the breast removal procedure. In the decision, Jorge highlighted that the surgical procedure, in the patient's case, was not an aesthetic issue, but rather something complementary to his well-being in adapting him to his gender identity. For the judge, as all the practices necessary for transformation are offered by the Unified Health System (SUS) and as the public system does not offer its users only beautifying surgeries, the nature of the procedure is not restricted to the aesthetic aspect. “It is obvious that there is also an aesthetic facet to the result of the surgery, even because the psychological shock imposed on those who suffer the effects of transsexuality is related to divergences between the way the individual sees themselves and their physical and anatomical characteristics”, argued judge Costa Beber. “But it is absolutely secondary to its greater objective, which is the broad adaptation – psychological, social, legal, biological and physical – of the patient to the adopted gender.”
