Camille Kiefel, who identified as nonbinary in the past, is suing the medical group that authorized her mastectomy in 2020. According to the Washington Examiner, Kiefel is suing mental health counselor Mara Burmeister, social worker Amy Ruff, and their businesses for recommending the treatment after just two Zoom-based counseling sessions. Kiefel is now asking for $850,000 in compensation.
In her case, Kiefel claims that without adequately evaluating her mental condition, the defendants subjected her to “unnecessary, irreparable therapy.” She allegedly has attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, severe depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, and anxiety disorder. She reportedly experienced difficulties after surgery, including difficulty swallowing, dilated pupils, and scopolamine overdose from a subpar nausea medication. Gender identification was not a major worry for Kiefel as a young child, according to the New York Post. But when she started sixth grade, her best friend was raped, and she started to think about it. Her father also gave her some well-intended counsel, but it appeared to backfire more often than not. Kiefel started wearing more boyish after that.
My doctor, 2 mental health professionals, a surgeon, and Medicaid all thought my gender neutral top surgery was legitimate and a medical necessity.
How did this happen?
— Camille Kiefel📚The Get Better Researcher📚 (@GetBetterTweets) November 13, 2022
In addition to learning about nonbinary terms and alternative pronouns, Kiefel minored in gender studies at Portland State University. She believed that having the top surgery by the year 2020 would reduce her worries. The New York Post reports that Kiefel had two consultations with her doctors, one in May and one in June. The two sessions took place on Zoom and lasted around an hour. Before having a mastectomy on August 28, 2020, she had never seen a doctor or expert in person. Kiefel claims that when she started having problems following her operation, physicians stopped taking her seriously. Finally, she was left on her own. She also remembers not being really pleased with her outcomes at the time. Kiefel now refers to nonbinary transitions as “Frankenstein surgery” and identifies as a woman. Kiefel understands that she will have to live with the effects of the operation for the rest of her life despite how she currently feels. Since many people “who should not be undergoing these operations” do, she hopes that her lawsuit will raise awareness of the problem.Unaddressed health problems exist on a deeper level. I and other others are sliding between the gaps. – Steve Sijenyi
Someone reached out that with similar complications to mine: rashes, prominences, and tinnitus.
I confirmed that they all started after she had top surgery. pic.twitter.com/E07waB3n6N
— Camille Kiefel📚The Get Better Researcher📚 (@GetBetterTweets) November 24, 2022
