When the movie "Transamerica" - about a pre-operative male to female transsexual - won two Golden Globe Awards and was nominated for an Academy Award in early 2006, cheers went up round the world, cheers from the world's growing transsexual community. Outsiders may believe that transsexuals - people born with one gender's sexual organs, yet drawn physically, psychologically, and spiritually to life as a member of the opposite gender - are more uncommon than is actually the case. Gender reassignment surgery is being performed worldwide, from North America to England, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand and Hong Kong. In this unprecedented book, Professor Heath introduces us to the transsexual mindset, explaining how the identity discord develops, and to the most recent research that suggests a biological, and not purely psychological, basis for transsexuality. Heath also details the psychological, social, family and legal issues transsexuals face. The history of transsexuality is presented, as are associated legal and human rights issues. Diagrams depicting the major elements in Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) are included, as are appendices listing support groups and other resources for transsexual men and women, and family members. This work also includes a link to a list of surgeons worldwide performing GRS.