Stanley Biber 3753964 224654552 2008-07-09T20:51:17Z 74.12.6.233 +cats '''Stanley H. Biber''' ([[May 4]], [[1923]] – [[January 16]], [[2006]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[physician]] who was a pioneer in [[sex reassignment surgery]], performing thousands of procedures during his long career.<ref name="nytobit">Fox, Margalit ([[21 January]] [[2006]]). [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/21/national/21biber.html Stanley H. Biber, 82, Surgeon Among First to Do Sex Changes, Dies]. ''[[New York Times]]''</ref> ==Early life== Biber was born to a [[Jewish]] family in [[Des Moines, Iowa]] as the older of two children and the only son of a father who owned a furniture store and a mother interested in social causes. After giving up plans to become a pianist and [[rabbi]], Biber served as a civilian employee with the [[Office of Strategic Services]] during [[World War II]], stationed in Alaska and the Northwest Territory. After the war, he returned to Iowa and enrolled in school, with plans to become a [[psychiatrist]]. ==Career as a physician== Biber graduated from the [[University of Iowa]] [[medical school]] in 1948.<ref name="martin">Martin, Claire ([[18 January]] [[2006]]). [http://www.denverpost.com/obituaries/ci_3411964 Pioneer sex-change surgeon dies at 82]. ''[[Denver Post]]''</ref> He began performing surgery while in residency at a hospital in the [[Panama Canal Zone]]. Biber then joined the Army, where he was the chief surgeon of a [[Mobile Army Surgical Hospital]] unit in the [[Korean War]]. He finished his service at what is now [[Fort Carson, Colorado]], and in 1954 took a job at a [[United Mine Workers]] clinic in [[Trinidad, Colorado]].<ref name="frazier">Frazier, Deborah ([[19 January]] [[2006]]). [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4398447,00.html Sex-change pioneer a beloved friend, mentor]. ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]''</ref> Biber performed his first "sex change" operation in 1969 after a [[transwoman|transsexual woman]] asked him if he would be willing and able to do so. At first, he did not know how, but he learned by studying diagrams from [[Johns Hopkins Hospital|Johns Hopkins]]. He kept his first few surgeries secret from the Catholic nuns who operated the hospital, due to concerns that they would react negatively. Trinidad subsequently became known as the "Sex Change Capital of the World" because of his renown.<ref name="nprobit">Brady, Jeff ([[19 January]] [[2006]]). [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5163832 Sex-Change Pioneer, Dr. Stanley Biber]. ''[[All Things Considered]]'', [[National Public Radio]]</ref> Biber also trained dozens of other surgeons in gender reversal techniques and maintained a regular surgical practice of delivering babies, removing tonsils, and replacing knee and hip joints.<ref name="apobit">Associated Press ([[17 January]] [[2006]]). [http://cbs4denver.com/health/local_story_017222927.html 'Sex Change' Doctor From Trinidad Dies.] via [[KCNC-TV]].</ref> ==Retirement and late life== Biber retired in 2003, at age 80, because his [[medical malpractice|malpractice]] insurance premiums had risen to levels which he could not afford, probably because of his advanced age.<ref name="apretire">Associated Press ([[3 January]] [[2005]]). [http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2005/01/03/49208.htm Colo. Sex-Change Surgeon Retires After Losing Malpractice Insurance] via ''Insurance Journal''</ref><ref name="werner">Werner, Dan ([[17 January]] [[2006]]). [http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=db100e21-0abe-421a-0053-ad24e27609d6&TEMPLATEID=4525fe63-ac1f-02d8-002a-f131478a1f55 Colorado's famed sex change doctor dies]. [[KUSA-TV]].</ref> [[Marci Bowers]], a gynecologist and transsexual woman herself, took over his [[sex reassignment surgery|SRS]] practice. Biber was hospitalized in January 2006 with complications from [[pneumonia]], to which he succumbed on [[January 16]] while hospitalized.<ref name="garrett">Garrett, Mike ([[18 January]] [[2006]]). [http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1137586860/4 Sex-change surgeon Stanley Biber dies]. ''[[Pueblo Chieftain]]''</ref> Biber was 82 at the time of his death. Bowers said, shortly afterwards, that she never expected to "fill his shoes". ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/vaginoplasty/stanley-biber.html Stanley Biber profile and links] via Transsexual Road Map *[http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/georgiegirl/resources_04_biber.html Article on Dr. Biber] via [[PBS]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Biber, Stanley}} [[Category:1923 births]] [[Category:2006 deaths]] [[Category:American physicians]] [[Category:American surgeons]] [[Category:American Jews]] [[Category:Jewish American scientists]] [[Category:University of Iowa alumni]] [[Category:American military personnel of the Korean War]] [[Category:Military physicians]] [[Category:People from Des Moines, Iowa]] [[Category:People from Colorado]] [[Category:Transgender and medicine]] [[Category:Deaths from pneumonia]]