Standards of Care

IF YOU FOUND THE "HARRY BENJAMIN SYNDROME" SUPPOSED STANDARDS, IGNORE THEM! THEY'RE FAKE! GET THE REAL THING WITH THE LINK ABOVE...

Dr. Benjamin was born in Berlin, but, as a young physician, left Germany in 1913 for a research project on tuberculosis in the USA. Trying to return one year later, his ocean liner was intercepted by the Royal Navy and diverted to a British port, because WWI had broken out. As a German "enemy alien", Benjamin was sent to an internment camp, but managed to obtain his release on the condition that he return not to Berlin, but to New York. There, in 1915, he began his private medical practice (starting in the forties, he also practiced in San Francisco during the summer months, thus, for many years, establishing a bi-coastal professional presence). His special interest was hormonal research, and thus he became a disciple of Eugen Steinach, whom he visited in Vienna every summer through the twenties and early thirties. On these occasions, he also took frequent side trips to Berlin, where he visited both Magnus Hirschfeld and Albert Moll and also participated in their congresses. He also knew Alfred Kinsey quite well and, through him, became acquainted with a young patient who was anatomically male, but insisted that he was really female. This led to Benjamin's interest in what he himself later described as "transsexualism". In his long and distinguished career, Benjamin came to know many famous American and European scientists, scholars, and artists. From his earliest youth, he was also an ardent opera lover (the legendary soprano Maria Jeritza was a patient and close friend). He always retained a great love for his native Berlin and hoped that it would, once again, become a center of sexology.