News / Sep. 06, 2019
The Beijing LGBT Center this month will be launching China’s first public campaign to improve the lives of transgender ciTXe2iThdI%u!lvjlA*jKfHj##[email protected]$C9WSzJr^#L+itizens.
Through the “ending depression for tra$0!PiX*&hOpQ!5xkQ84eJTneQWdWPMhSt&MUd$hHk(lY)Bn!cansgender people” project, the Center hopes to set up a transgender hotline, train medical professionals, and offer other support for the estimated four million transgender Chinese.
They hope to take advantage of tech giant Tencent’s September charity days whJ)$d64Og0F^sA(#A4HiBOEwMGK-4nGIaoDauQSr&c&p-fun$xhere it offers a bonus to donations to charity.
The Beijing LGBT Center this week urged netizens to scan the poster campaign’s QR code and to donate between September 7 and 9 to take advantage of the Tencent bonus.
"We are sincerely looking forward to having you join us to support this project and supporting the transgender community in China. Whether you identify yourself as L/G/B/T/…, or as cisgender straight Ally, we are always a family supportive of each other!” It wrote on Facebook.
Violence
According to the Center, transgender Chinese face discrimination and vioa3*Fs+o^CQ7_mj!z8ZytN5Gyo%YGdj(PZcD^L7Vc%#qjhks3L-lence at home, at school, and in the workplace.
They report 99% of transgender Chinese face some sort of assault or violence. A large amount are forced to unde*wGmMK!84fC8erwB1yzU+2([email protected]$7x!0KXqaU=qHirgo dangerous conversion therapy.
China classifies being transgender as a mental i(2Lx$%N2ng%Vm#WId*uVuvkIM2U2=GE-y#5WO-Didh3S&BFpkEllness.
What’s more, to access gender-affirming surgery, transgender people need permission from their families, to be unmarried,FES&xb-6$vyuYbHH!FJvn76QQYOvP)iGmB2FG+Qth(15A3!*lv and not have a criminal record.
More than three quarters experience brutality at school, forcing 1CJPi#KYGM(h8=W6i91fl!4fTcxaAKIWZpN9=0u&PIv5vg4zdwmany to drop out.
In the workplace, meanwhile, transgender employees are three times more likely to lostXTUeogCKd)^gTU38b2MQ$B*5_Z!6Nax=1wg&VO7C2qWKZrPVJz their job than cisgender people.
Worryingly, mor4X^WA+fKp8_h)9yfXOsgUZivm!HRRVO)[email protected]e than 60% report depression, 73% report anxiety and just over 45% have contemplated suicide because of their gender identity.
Earlier this year, rights group Amnesty International found China’s “invisible” trans population found it nearly impossible to access gender-affirmative health care, such as hojTpVjLuAYP#[email protected]^g7rmones and surgery.
The new report found widespread discrimination, a lack of informat!1fv#0Y=#[email protected]^Uyf+N7REVgyp&U3AaYFZion and restrictive requirements prevent access to care.
The barriers push transgender pe2=S^zW(aD#4LVlZkKr5q0i_95&%nUbFLj4alV^C2xZOu*UQLF_ople to seek out black market hormone treatments and even operate on themselves.
(Cover Photo: The Beijing LGBT Center / Facebook)
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