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Recently, a few of us behind the scenes have been discussing the idea of updating and expanding our FAQ. I would invite a broader participation in the discussion, and so am going to ask a couple of very wide open questions and invite everyone's response.

Which information do you think needs to be in our FAQ? What is missing? What should be expanded upon, and how? If you have suggested language, please post that too.

Kristoff is right about the need to update the FAQ on the Archive. When the front page is next re-done, we intend to have a prominent link directly to the Frequently Asked Questions for newcomers to explore.

We need both to rewrite the current text and to consider what additional topics ought to be presented on this page. The currently listed topics are

* How will castration affect my fertility?

* How will castration change my personality?

* How will castration affect my sex drive?

* What changes can I expect in my body after castration?

* What are the major emotional and psychological concerns with castration?

* What are the major physical concerns with castration?

* What kind of long term medical care do I need?

* More Information [which has a link to the thread titled "Castration Primer" ( http://www.eunuch.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=10173

)]

What additional topics need to be here for newcomers? Are there any other threads that should be linked from the FAQ? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

Currently the first topic in the set of Frequently asked questions is

JesusA wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2010 6:31 am How will castration affect my fertility?

The current text is very short and simple:

Infertility, in all cases. If this could be an issue, bank some sperm beforehand.

Here's my FIRST DRAFT for a rewrite. Again, comments and suggestions are appreciated as this is to become one of the first things that newcomers to the Eunuch Archive are likely to read.

Castration, whether chemical or surgical, results in total sterility. With chemical castration, if done for only a short while, it is usually reversible. With surgical castration, it is permanent and irreversible. This absolute and total sterility is the main reason why powerful men in antiquity chose eunuchs to guard their women.

If you have any inkling that you might possibly ever want to produce a biological child of your own, you need to bank sperm before undergoing either chemical or surgical castration.

What else needs to be in this answer? Would anyone here be willing to write a better response?

A thought,

The reasons for castration, there are many.

River

I would like to see the topic "Reasons Not to be Castrated" included in the FAQ. --FLO--

Uncle Flo (imported) wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:16 pm I would like to see the topic "Reasons Not to be Castrated" included in the FAQ. --FLO--

I agree with Uncle Flo on that one. Too many are uninformed and yes I know that the "FAQ" are for teaching. But many need to hear about the reasons not too more than once. Dave

Uncle Flo (imported) wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:16 pm I would like to see the topic "Reasons Not to be Castrated" included in the FAQ. --FLO--

Absolutely, this must be included as the intent of FAQ is to inform. Partial information does not allow one to make a proper decision.

Also, information regarding hormone replacement therapy, reasons for it and its effects.

Speed

BUMP. We really would like this thread to get some discussion. What did you need to know when you first came here? What isn't in the FAQ that needs to be?

Wayyyyy back in the day, I needed to know the side effects to health, and there wasn't much fact, on argument and speculation. I remember the great osteoporosis debate, still!

Probably every item on the current list of Frequently Asked Questions should be gone over and rewritten. There are more topics that also need to be covered. I would propose that the FIRST question that anyone opening the FAQ should be confronted with is

"What is a eunuch?"

Here is my first attempt at an answer. Please feel free to make suggestions, both for this and for any of the other items that we should cover.

What is a Eunuch?

A eunuch is anyone who was born male or assigned male sex at birth whose testicles have been removed or destroyed. Most of the eunuchs alive today have been chemically castrated and still have non-functioning testicles, though many have had their testicles physically removed for some reason.

The most common reason for castration today is treatment for prostate cancer (which is testosterone dependant). About one-third of all men diagnosed with prostate cancer are castrated within six months of that diagnosis - after other treatment options have failed. It is estimated that with current rates of diagnosis and current treatment options, about 4% of all men will be castrated because of prostate cancer within their lifetimes.

There are many other, less frequent, reasons for castration, including gender dysphoria, body integrity identity disorder, orchialgia, accidents, various illnesses, and many other reasons. All of the various reasons are discussed here on the Eunuch Archive.

Any editorial suggestions?

There's a FAQ?

Oh, I see it now! I didn't even notice it.

jesus

looks like you coverd everything

good job

Jeus,

Looks like you covered the definition very well. I have not investigated the FAQ section but I guess I should.

I have been trying to figure out why I felt driven to become a eunuch. I guess that fits under emotional and psychological but more on the mental state that drives one to seek castration and the eunuch life style.

Interesting question. When I first came here for real in 2006 (had lurked for about a decade) I knew that I wanted to be castrated in the long run, but I also first needed help dealing with the confusion and self-revulsion of coming out as gay in my mid to late 20s, and the gay thing scared me far more than the castration thing.

So I'd put in the FAQ as a reason NOT to be castrated: "Q: What if I'm not really attracted to women and think I'm asexual? A: You might be gay and need to work this out first; don't worry; you won't burst into flames." "Q: What if I'm attracted to men but think that some aspects of sex with men might be gross? A: You value your cleanliness, and you're gay." "Q: My boyfriend is pressuring me hard to get castrated; what should I do? A: Back away slowly and find a new boyfriend." And so on. I'd also put in something about, if you feel ANY fear or uncertainty about your whole sexual identity, that is a bad reason to get castrated. Given the demographics here, it's hard to avoid the fact that the gay thing and the castration thing intersect for a lot of people, and it might be helpful to include some of this right in the FAQ.

The moderators here have been talking about some up-dating and up-grading of the Eunuch Archive for over a year. At the last two MoMs we have discussed a number of places where change might be appropriate. The revised front page is the first of these changes. Up-grading

JesusA wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2010 6:31 am the Frequently Asked Questions

will be another step that we want to take.

Please look at the FAQ as they currently stand and use this thread to make suggestions about what they OUGHT to say.

.