News / Sep. 06, 2019
The Beijing LGBT Center this month will be launching ChTnQ6YH_SxdTTokFtWO=DFL(l=LBPKC3h+j2)Xv=!*A$Vz5ZhMXina’s first public campaign to improve the lives of transgender citizens.
Through the “ending depression for transgender peop5Y^(%2Rl2aaG%fC9av6fbJkrl3s-GkW^0vd8ekZ6W#ELDaxqBUle” project, the Center hopes to set up a transgender hotline, train medical professionals, and offer other support for the estimated four million transgender Chinese.
They hope to take advantage of tech gianUC(Z+uz)SK*&nUa1Rrb6otm9+MdJm&Mkh(p2bXn2JRkZHiPwxct Tencent’s September charity days where it offers a bonus to donations to charity.
The Beijing LGBT Center this week urged netizens to scan the poster campaign’s QR code and to donate between September 7 and 9 to take advantage of the Tencent bonus.
"We are sincerely looking forward to having you join us to support this project and supporting the transgender community in China. Whether you identify yourself as L/G/B/T/…, or as cisgender straight Ally, we are always a family supportive of each other!” It wrote on Facebook.
Violence
According to the Center, transgender QUosvq^V607DUgmjzd_F6mus3OMU$grdxvw9GzFTtkt^mYgV6KChinese face discrimination and violence at home, at school, and in the workplace.
They report 99% of transgender Chinese face some sort of assault or violencaODb1sG*bQjzanwY%Nbf!UlJ@xR(%oxbYLH#mn42M%bTddgT_#e. A large amount are forced to undergo dangerous conversion therapy.
China classifies being transgender as a mental illnezpGPSbg6NaaiBQGYW%zDF4Ev&uy%Rb#r)3mrmI+N!hGvBruNypss.
What’s more, to access gender-affirming surgery, transgender people need permission from their famile^1gZ$JrU+DssKtreD7e)wqd1lRyBQivH2eUt&%Eha2b4a=iZ%ies, to be unmarried, and not have a criminal record.
More than three quarters experi2VwCL1KUy3hl9Nh@uK(Z8DphcBIZaeyKXGxTpt&o0&_c3m8RT0ence brutality at school, forcing many to drop out.
In the workpl3iROW!*T&)Zo7mH*EVb0HQtOUF+Fju6qEo9VLVZv+_XX5-%YZlace, meanwhile, transgender employees are three times more likely to lost their job than cisgender people.
Worryingly, more than 60% report depression, 73% repor@A4VXw^b8&cvAnYi@+u1pvzvruzF41jFP@6%7D2C8jQLJ@kaCat anxiety and just over 45% have contemplated suicide because of their gender identity.
Earlier this year, rights group Amnesty International found China’s “invisible” trans population found it nearly impossible to access gender-aff8GLSqff+-Ja4&f&GZWP8j#hiAkpmvdhN=Y4AYMw_CGytwV)Qbeirmative health care, such as hormones and surgery.
They#XQvSF%El=ZiyK&hB9oiJW@m98sc8h#@N8((xZY^8$i%ZuSx_ new report found widespread discrimination, a lack of information and restrictive requirements prevent access to care.
The barriers push transgender people to seek out black market hormone treatments aHFSWk4QOLRT4mkUrLk-OKlmeUy6$5YVy!2Rw04DKWS-B%QXcnVnd even operate on themselves.
(Cover Photo: The Beijing LGBT Center / Facebook)
