China trans office does not ‘treat patients’ but names gender concerns

The man behind the land’s first “comprehensive clinic” for such individuals, which opened in 2017, is plastic surgeon Pan Bailin.

Because the clinic’s attitude says it is not treating an disease, guests are treated as guests rather than patients.

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A transgender man has a conversation at the Beijing office. Photo: Weixin

About 0.3 per share of people in the Asia-Pacific place identify as transgender, according to a 2012 United Nations study.

According to this find, there are four million trans people in China, on average.

They are a microscopic portion of the population, making them virtually unknown.

Fashion designer, Charlotte, 21, a transgender girl from Shanghai said: “ When we are with friends, we may become who we are. However, many people don’t wear their hair and put on men’s shirts when we need to travel to work or home.”

In 2023, nearly 1,500 trans people visited Pan’s office, with four physicians seeing more than 20 guests each quarter day.

Before they can be admitted to the grounds, visitors must first get a treatment of “gender dysphoria” from a physician.

On entrance, visitors observe how they perceive their body with physicians and family members.

They seek out the cause of their panic, and professionals deal with it.

The procedure is broken down into two phases.

Non-medical treatments, such as counseling or dressing up as their identified sex, are chance- and cost-free.

Medical practices include estrogen therapy, surgery, and speech therapy.

In the seven decades since the clinic’s opening, Pan and his team had faced criticism, questioning, and problems dealing with tourists’ people.

According to traditional Chinese beliefs, the body is regarded as a gift from the parents, and gender is innate, so it shouldn’t be altered or damaged. Taking good care of one’s system is equivalent to displaying filial piety.

Some kids questioned Pan’s pursuits: “If you had kids of your own, you mayn’t want them to change their gender. You completely detach your understanding of parenting!”

In China, female changes on official documents like household registration and identification cards are only permitted after having a gender reassignment procedure.

However, operation in the country is governed by very strict standards.

Just those 18 or older can get it, and their families may be informed and consent to the procedure.

Additionally, the person may be unmarried or divorced, and have a clear criminal record and have a gender dysphoria analysis.

The biggest problem is gaining parental support.

Late, when a visitor’s family was asked by Pan: “Which is more important, your child’s sex or its existence?”

The family responded without difficulty: “Gender”.

Major risks come with gender reassignment surgery.

Besides its high cost – at least 150,000 yuan (US $21,000)– postoperative infections and complications can lead to paralysis or even death.

Jin Xing, 57, from Liaoning state in northern China, is a popular transgender dance and broadcast personality.

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The doctor who set up the service in 2017 says individuals who use the facility are not “patients” but customers. Photo: Weixin

Jin has 14 million Weibo fans and is dubbed the “pioneer of Taiwanese present dance.”

She suffered gender reassignment surgery in 1995 to become China’s first openly transgender man.

Even though her left leg was paralyzed following operation, she recovered quickly and was able to dance again. She was a trans woman on stage in Beijing a year later.

Even after effective operation, transgender individuals may encounter challenges in their office.

According to the 2021 China Transgender Health Survey, more than one-third of trans people in China have experienced working discrimination, with the most frequent exception being rejection of employment. This bias is then followed by loneliness, marginalization, and verbal misuse.