Global Roundup: Free HRT for Thai Trans People, Spain Single Parents' Full Parental Leave, Malawi Abortion Rights, Sex Workers vs Anti-Trans Violence, Japan TV Bosses Resigns Over Sex Assault Scandal
On Monday, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry allocated 145.63 million baht to the National Health Security Office for HRT, the Bangkok Post reported. The targeted funds will cover the HRT needs of 200,000 transgender Thais, the ministry estimated.
Thailand has a population of over 300,000 trans citizens, according to the Asia Pacific Transgender Network.
Deputy government spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak said the allocation was in direct support of the government’s policy on marriage equality, with an emphasis on both physical and mental health for sexually diverse individuals.
He cited growing acceptance of diverse gender identities and transgender individuals’ reliance on hormone therapy to align their physical appearance with their gender identity for the allocation.
Self-funding for HRT prevented some trans individuals from gaining access to proper care, Pruksanusak said, leading to health risks if they resorted to purchasing and using hormones without medical supervision.
While the new marriage equality law replaces the terms “husband” and “wife” with inclusive, gender-neutral language, resistance to recognizing the full rights of transgender Thai citizens remains in Thailand.
Trans people face “numerous” barriers concerning health, education, work, freedom of movement and non-discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch.
Discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation has been illegal in Thailand since 2015, but transgender Thais have no legal avenue to change their gender on official documents.
That resulted last week in many marriages between transgender women and cisgender men that were officially documented as same-sex unions between men.
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