China

China #

The overwhelming number of negative comments given by transgenders in this country, which may reflect a dangerous environment for transgenders in China.

Even as a non-Chinese transgender, the society’s attitude towards you may still be bad in China, and you may still encounter many problems.

As a transgender exchange or degree student studying in China, you may still face significant difficulties, including but not limited to difficulty obtaining medication through official channels, only a small number of doctor doctors can prescribe a diagnosis of “易性症” (gender incongruence, but China uses an outdated name) that allows for more medical possibilities 1, very limited doctors who can prescribe HRT/GAHT 2, lack of psychological support, widespread public attacks and institutional discrimination, and obstruction in academics and employment.

In China, there are very few doctors who can issue gender identity certificates and even fewer who can prescribe medication. Even with a prescription, it is difficult to purchase medication through most platforms and can only be obtained by seeking legal loopholes in less-regulated areas. However, this is only a gray area, and we cannot guarantee the sustainability of this method or its cost, and in some cases, it may even violate the law. Additionally, most psychological counseling in China cannot provide adequate support and assistance for transgenders, so suitable doctors may not be found when help is needed. Furthermore, official Chinese media social accounts have repeatedly attacked transgenders 3, stigmatizing their image and inciting public emotions. To some extent, the internet violence that occurs in China based on fear and hatred towards transgender people can have a very serious impact. For example, it affects the right to study, residency, work, etc. Moreover, if you change your identity information after completing your degree at a university, the university will not re-issue your graduation certificate 4, and the online certification of a Chinese degree will not change either 4. In a sense, your qualifications may be considered invalid unless you can provide relevant documentation and modification files. However, when you submit documentation to change your information, employers will know that you are transgender and are very likely to refuse to hire you.


  1. Due to the lack of information from official channels such as hospitals, the trans community in China has had to establish their own information-sharing platforms. As of March 2023, the most comprehensive platform is MtF.wiki, which provides the following info. Psychiatrists who can provide support in China - MtF.wiki ↩︎

  2. As of March 2023, there are a total of 10 doctors and 1 department (with another department theoretically able to issue prescriptions but not yet verified) who can provide hormone therapy for transgender. Four of these doctors are located in Shanghai, and two of them are in Beijing. Doctors in China who are able to prescribe HRT/GAHT - MtF.wiki↩︎

  3. Some translated official documents - Twitter @Crystal_WangSW, and One example - Twitter @zsam_xiamen ↩︎

  4. After the graduation certificate is registered online, the information cannot be changed - sc.gov.cn ↩︎ ↩︎


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