I was 18 years old when I saw this episode and was shocked and dismayed that a doctor on tv was setting such an example for others to emulate by sympathizing with someone who wanted sexual assignment surgery enough to actually go ahead with performing it! I felt betrayed by the actor Chad Everett for playing such a role, although I see that some people considered him heroic and groundbreaking for doing it.
To me at the time it seemed the epitome of what we now refer to as politically correct.