If we are proud of Taiwan's freedom and pluralism, on International Transgender Day, we should look at the real life experiences of transgender people, and a group of people must be watched and heard.

3/31 International Transgender Day, which celebrates transgender people and raises public awareness of transgender rights. Since 2018, the discussion of LGBTQ-plus in Taiwan has grown, and on May 17, 2019, the adoption of the Same Marriage Act has made it the number one in Asia, and LGBTQ-plus rights have moved forward.

But has LGBTQ-plus human rights really reached full equality and all groups are being heard?

According to a survey released 3/31 by the Taiwan Partnership Rights Promotion Alliance, 55.41 percent of 518 transgender people in Taiwan were afraid to go to the toilet because of their social vision and discrimination, 22.01 percent had been harassed by shop and guests while shopping, and 18.53 percent had been attacked or harassed in public spaces.

Transgender people struggle throughout their daily lives, but even when they are treated unkindly at the stage, such as in school, 75.3 percent of transgender students and 70 percent of transgender workers choose not to deal with them.

Behind the non-treatment, perhaps reflecting the lack of adequate support from society, including responses to the police and schools, can transgender people be respected for their gender identity? Can transgender people be examined in a comfortable and comfortable way when they go to a hospital? And the students and colleagues around you, whether they have given their support and affirmation, or are they asking transgender people to endure all kinds of unequal treatment?

Because you are afraid to go to the toilet and pee to the sick, asked to finish surgery to interview again


Transgender parties - Photo: Taiwan Partner Rights Promotion Alliance

Transgender people are asked to share their personal experiences at a press conference on the human rights situation questionnaire of the Partner Alliance.

She is a transgender woman who has been paid for her gender by the company and has lost many job opportunities: "There are many HR rsas who say they want me to go back to the company after the surgery, but if I don't have a job or income, how can I afford to save for the surgery?" Even if she didn't want to have surgery, she said, the gender on her id was not consistent with her appearance, often causing problems in her life.

In Taiwan, transgender people who want to change gender must undergo gender replacement surgery to change their certificate, but the current classification of gender replacement surgery into cosmetic surgery in Taiwan is not covered by health care, which is not only expensive, but also has a long process. Alice, a transgender woman, said at a press conference that she was lucky to be here today, saying, "I'm lucky to be here today," Alice said at a press conference as she said that friends went to work in eight industries, put up stress, sign volunteer service in their original male appearance, or choose to end their lives. 」

And for transgender people like Yu, there is no need to have gender replacement surgery, but because to comply with the law, and pay a huge amount of surgery and effort, in order to exchange for their gender identity documents, this is undoubtedly another kind of torture.

He also mentioned the discrimination in access to health care and work for transgender people: "I got sick last year and went to the hospital because my mother went with me and my mother recognized me as my son, so I chose the robe for men." During my stay in the hospital, I was often asked by medical staff why girls (long hair) wore male robes or pointed in the hallways. 」

"Sometimes wearing shorts in the summer, seen by the supervisor, will say , "How can a boy not have a leg hair" and "How can a boy have such a smooth skin?" Even after she was later diagnosed with gender upsets, the supervisor still framed her in her professional life with a stereotype of a man.

When we call to break the gender framework and encourage everyone to be themselves, so that both women and men can show masculinity and tenderness, but fail to respect the presence of transgender people with actions that transcend gender dualism, so that many transgender people are depressed about their ability to express themselves.

"Taiwan's society is becoming more and more multi-yuan, and it is correct that society is already diverse, but you have not noticed it before, " he said. 」

Transgender people also have diverse experiences and status escloses and should not be considered as a single group


Secretary-General of the Alliance - Jane. Photo: Taiwan Partner Rights Promotion Alliance

Jane Jie, secretary-general of the Partnership Alliance, said that when we talk about transgender rights, we should not be treated as a "single group", which will allow people to ignore the diverse experiences and states of transgender people, for example, some transgender people do not classify themselves as men or women, while others are "male-to-female" and "female-to-male." Today, however, whether in law, health care or education, transgender people still ignore different situations and difficulties, and everyone's gender identity and physical status should be respected.

If we are proud of Taiwan's freedom and pluralism, it is time to look at the real life experiences of transgender people on International Transgender Day. And the experience of these 518 transgender people, not just numbers, is like the story they tell, waiting to be changed, to be noticed, to be heard. (Extended Reading: International Transgender Day: When Discrimination Comes on Campus, Do We Have To Drive Gay Education Out of Textbooks?) ) )