Transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: what does the research tell us? Sam Winter, University of Hong Kong Asia and Pacific Transgender Network Development

Transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: what does the research tell us?

Sam Winter, University of Hong Kong

Asia and Pacific Transgender Network Development Conference, Bangkok, 13-16 Dec 2009

http://web.hku.hk/~sjwinter/TransgenderASIA/index.htm

WHERE is the research?

http://web.hku.hk/~sjwinter/TransgenderASIA/index.htm

220 items listed in the TG-ASIA bibliography

NGO reports, books, chapters, research articles, research theses, encyclopedia

entries, etc.

…plus 42 essays + country reports on TG-ASIA itself

….and ….

since 1990 only

…English language only

…social sciences only (not medical)

.. Asia only (not the Pacific)

http://web.hku.hk/~sjwinter/TransgenderASIA/bibliography.htm

http://web.hku.hk/~sjwinter/TransgenderASIA/bibliography.htm

Transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: What does the research tell us?

•Large population

Large population: CLINIC STUDIES

Iran:1:2200 – 1:3300(transpeople)

Singapore:1:2900 (transwomen) 1:8300 (transmen)

Taiwan:1:1030(transpeople)

Large population: COMMUNITY ESTIMATES

Malaysia1:75 to1:150(transwomen)

India:1:600(transwomen)

Thailand:1:300(transwomen)


•Large population•Deep cultural roots and old social roles

Deep cultural roots:a place in society for

transpeople

Japan;

China, Korea,

Myanmar, Laos, Thailand,

Indonesia, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Aghanistan

India

Philippines

Siberia

Pacific (Okinawa, Hawai’I, Samoa, Tonga, Tuva etc)

.



•Local identities and genders

Some local identities and genders (modern or traditional, affirming or offensive)

KathoeyPumia,Pumae,Phet thee sam,Sao praphet song,Phuying kham phet

Mahu,Fa’afafineFakaleitiPinapinaine

Apwint, AcaultBakla,TranspinayBayot,Bayog,Asog,Bantut,Binabae

MaknyahWaria, Banci,Bencong,Calabai,Kedie,Wandu

Yirka-la-ul-va-irgin,Ne-uchica

Khanith,Xanith

Hijra,Kothi,Meti,Aravani,Khusra,Zanana



•Local identities and genders•Modern stigma and prejudice

Stigma and Prejudice

Transpeople, transprejudice and pathologisation: a seven-country factor analytic study.

Winter,S., Chalungsooth,P., Teh,Y.K., Rojanalert,N., Maneerat, K., Wong, Y.W., Beaumont,A., Ho,M.W., Gomez,F., Macapagal,R.A.

International Journal of Sexual Health, 21, pp96-118

A seven country study of prejudice:

841 university students.

A questionnaire:on attitudes towards

transwomen

Hong Kong, Singapore

Malaysia – United States

United Kingdom

Philippines

Thailand

Seven societies: a range of prejudiceTransacceptance

Transprejudice

Stigma and prejudice

Trans-stigma and trans-prejudice clear in all 7 societies.

Some sample figures:

Rejecting transwomen’s right to marry a man:63% Malaysians

53% Filipinos

Rejecting transwomen’s right to work with children33% Malaysians

14% Filipinos13% Thais




•Discrimination and marginalisation (social, economic and legal)

• Family and school– dropping out and leaving home

Discrimination and marginalisation


• Wider society – employment, housing, health services, access to public spaces



• Wider society – employment, housing, health services, , access to public spaces – drift towards ‘ghetto’ employment



• Wider society – employment, housing, health services, access to public spaces– drift towards ‘ghetto’ employment

• Government– documentation: ID cards,




• Government– documentation: ID cards, – documentation: legal gender status


• Family and school– Dropping out and leaving home

• Wider society – employment and housing– drift towards ‘ghetto’ employment


Legal recognition of gender status:as reflected in the right to marry:only 7 countries in Asia?


• Family and school– Dropping out and leaving home

• Wider society – employment and housing– drift towards ‘ghetto’ employment


Legal recognition of gender status:as reflected in the right to marry:only 7 countries in Asia?




• Government– documentation: ID cards, – documentation: legal gender status – lack of protection against discrimination• despite widespread ratification or accession to:

– ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)– ICESCR (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights)– UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child)

– police harassment, violence





•Discrimination and marginalisation (social, economic and legal)

• Vulnerability - risky situations and risky behaviours (risks to mental and physical health)

Risk: MENTAL HEALTH(% transgender women reporting ever

attempting suicide)

Malaysia:14%(Teh, 2002)

Philippines: 16%(Winter and Vink,unpublished report)

Thailand: 22%(Winter and Vink, unpublished report)

Chiangmai 2005: 18%2007: 17%

Bangkok 2005: 12%

Phuket2005: 12%

Dhaka2004-5: 0% Jakarta:

2002: 22%20009: 34%?

HIV prevalence among transgender people: some 1996-2007 studies

Karachi2005: 1.5%

Lahore:2005: 1%

Pakistan various:2006-7: 2%(Larkana 14%)

Cambodia various:2005: 10%(Phnom Penh 17%)

Mandalay:1996: 33% (?)

Chennai:2001: 60%

Source: HIV and associated risk behaviours among men who have sex with men in the Asia and Pacific region: implications for policy and programming. UNAIDS/APCOM 2008 (working draft)

Risk: PHYSICAL HEALTH

Stigma, Prejudice

Discrimination,Social/economic/legal marginalisation + exclusion

Vulnerability and increasedrisks to mental / physical health

The General Picture: A chain, from STIGMA to RISK

Muchcurrent research?

Stigma, Prejudice

Vulnerability and increased risks to mental / physical health

??

?

The General Picture: A chain, from STIGMA to RISK

Discrimination,Social/economic/legal marginalisation + exclusion

Culture?

Religion?

Western

Medicine



United Kingdom

Philippines

Thailand

Seven countries study of trans-stigma and trans-prejudice

Trans-acceptance

Trans-prejudice

Across the study, those who

BELIEVE transwomen ARE MENTALLY ILL

also

EXPRESS MORE STIGMA AND PREJUDICE towards them

Therefore,, it is important to push for REMOVAL of ‘Gender

Identity Disorder’ AND ‘Transsexualism’ FROM THE MEDICAL

MANUALS !!

So ideas about ‘MENTAL ILLNESS’ PROMPT OR SUPPORT STIGMA

and PREJUDICE.



United Kingdom

Philippines

Thailand

Seven countries study of trans-stigma and trans-prejudice

Transacceptance

Transprejudice

Across the study, those who

BELIEVE transwomen HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS

also

REPORT MORE PREJUDICE towards them

Therefore,, it is important to push for the REMOVAL of ‘Gender

Identity Disorder’ AND ‘Transsexualism’ FROM THE MEDICAL

MANUALS !!

So, ideas about ‘MENTAL ILLNESS’ PROMPT OR SUPPORT

PREJUDICE.

THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!THANK YOU !!!

Documents

Transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: what does the research tell us? Sam Winter, University of Hong Kong Asia and Pacific Transgender Network Development