As 2022 ends, we want to take a moment to acknowledge your support towards improving the quality of lives of trans and gender diverse people. Over the years since our organisation started, we have provided mentoring and leadership support, advocacy interventions, filled in the vast data gaps by leading key research and developed public campaigns as part of the larger movement building in the Asia Pacific region. We’ve engaged over 30 trans-led organisations in more than 21 countries who joined our vision to co-create inclusive policies and programs for communities that often fall through the cracks.
Having access to good health services is essential and is a basic human right for every person. Even so, trans and gender diverse people often find themselves in a bind trying to find a health provider that understands their health needs. In the last decade, we are seeing improvements made with the release of guidelines trainings such as the Asia Pacific Trans Health Blueprint, the depathologisation of trans people under the mental health chapter in the WHO ICD-11, the Trans Health Modules and other listed below. The path to full fulfilment and attainment of the highest standards of healthcare is a movement of its own, and we invite you to walk with us in effecting this impact by creating a change for the lives of trans and gender-diverse people in Asia and the Pacific.
Why is trans-affirming healthcare important?
- Trans and gender-diverse people face discrimination and harassment in accessing healthcare; these inequalities have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The lack of trans-competent healthcare providers and access to gender-affirming healthcare creates a condition where trans and gender-diverse people in the region go into an unsupervised medical transition that could impose health risks.
- Trans-affirming healthcare dramatically improves the quality of life for trans and gender-diverse people.
Watch: Why we need trans-affirming healthcare now
In the past year, we have worked to address systemic discrimination in healthcare by addressing barriers to health access, and building a support network for providers and community members who are working in creating better trans-specific or trans-affirming healthcare.
Read: Past and current efforts for advancing trans-affirming healthcare
| The Cost of Stigma: Understanding and Addressing Health Implications of Transphobia and Discrimination on Transgender and Gender Diverse People | This is the first large-scale trans community-led research, providing essential information into our lived experiences of accessing healthcare services.The purpose of the study was to document the barriers and gaps in access to HIV and other health services for trans and gender-diverse people in these four countries. The research was designed and implemented by trans and gender-diverse researchers in each country. Consistent with our community principles of “Nothing about us without us,” this process has built the capacity of trans and gender-diverse people. They utilise research methodologies and data to collect information for evidence-based advocacy to promote quality, trans-responsive and competent healthcare services. This research aims to bridge the gaps in the availability of trans-specific data. |
| Blueprint for the Provision of Comprehensive Care For Trans People | A comprehensive, accessible trans health reference document for trans community advocates, health professionals, policymakers, and those who design or deliver services to trans people.The Blueprint provides information about the current health and human rights situation for trans people in Asia and the Pacific. This includes clinical advice about meeting the health needs of trans children, youth and adults. In addition, the Blueprint includes good practice examples provided by health professionals and/or trans communities about health initiatives that are working in this region. It describes policies that are making a difference in trans people’s lives. |
| Guidelines for Healthcare Providers On Trans-competent Healthcare Services for Transgender Patients | These guidelines have been developed for healthcare providers on trans-competent healthcare services for transgender patients. It is our hope that these guidelines will increase knowledge about trans-inclusive health services in order to create positive healthcare experiences for trans people and ensure their right to the highest attainable standard of health. This includes ensuring that healthcare meets the Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality (AAAQ) framework set out in international human rights standards. |
| What They Don’t Tell You In Sex Ed! – A Resource For Transgender And Gender Diverse Communities On Sexual And Reproductive Health | We curated a sexual and reproductive health resource for transgender people and communities across the region. Through this resource, we hope to answer frequently asked questions and address unvoiced experiences and anxieties of transgender persons about their bodies, sexuality, pleasure and relationships, and their reproductive health needs, with an aim to empower trans people with knowledge and awareness to fully exercise their bodily rights. |
| I am trans masculine and I think I want to start using testosterone! What should I know before I begin? | This factsheet is a guide for trans men, trans masculine and gender diverse people who may be thinking about using testosterone. This process of transitioning is called Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT). This factsheet provides a brief overview of the benefits, side effects and risks about starting hormone therapy. |
| I am trans feminine and I think I want to start using hormones! What should I know before I begin? | This factsheet is for trans women, trans feminine and gender diverse people who may be thinking about using hormones also known as Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT). This factsheet provides a brief overview of the benefits, side effects and risks about starting hormone therapy. |
What’s next?
Transgender Healthcare Online Course Launching
APTN’s Towards Transformative Healthcare: Asia Pacific Trans Health and Rights Module is an introductory resource on trans-competent and gender-affirming healthcare for medical professionals and other healthcare workers in Asia and the Pacific, particularly those in primary care, including community-based health services. This online course is available in 5 languages: English, Nepali, Thai, Mongolian, and Sinhala.
Watch: Our Introduction Video to the Module
Through a self-paced and interactive course, the Toward Transformative Healthcare Module (TTHM) will increase healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills in providing trans clinical and culturally competent care. There are 12 topics covering everything from gender diversity across the region to tips on how to create an affirming and welcoming environment for trans patients, to specific healthcare considerations for trans individuals related to mental health, sexual and reproductive health, gender-affirming care, and more.
We are planning to launch this course to the public in 2023 with an elaborate campaign so that healthcare providers around the region are interested in taking this course, becoming more competent in conducting trans-affirming healthcare, hence increasing access to healthcare for trans people in various countries! A donation this holiday season would help us release the module to more people in more countries.
We rely on financial donations for the work we do. Your donations will contribute to our efforts and work to improve the quality of care for trans and gender diverse people.
See the list on how you can donate to us here:
- If you are based in Thailand:
You can make a direct transfer to our Thai bank account here
Bank: Bangkok Bank
Account number: 030-8-08649-5
Account Name: The Asia Pacific Transgender Network Foundation - If you are a corporate and you are registered on Benevity:
Click here to visit our Benevity page - If you would like to make a direct donation, please reach us out donate@weareaptn.org
You can also help us circulate the donation platforms to your friends and your social media if you’re unable to support us financially at this time.
We’re also looking for volunteers for our health work, such as translating documents into local languages, illustrating information materials and so on. If you are keen on being a volunteer, drop us a line at hello@weareaptn.org
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