Gender Identity: The Human Right of Depathologization

Maria Elisa Castro-Peraza, Jesús Manuel García-Acosta, Naira Delgado, Ana María Perdomo-Hernández, Maria Inmaculada Sosa-Alvarez, Rosa Llabrés-Solé and Nieves Doria Lorenzo-Rocha
Additional contact information
Maria Elisa Castro-Peraza: Faculty of Nursing N. S. Candelaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands Public Health Service, 38010 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Jesús Manuel García-Acosta: Faculty of Nursing N. S. Candelaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands Public Health Service, 38010 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Naira Delgado: Faculty of Psychology, University of La Laguna, 38071 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Ana María Perdomo-Hernández: Faculty of Nursing N. S. Candelaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands Public Health Service, 38010 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Maria Inmaculada Sosa-Alvarez: Faculty of Nursing N. S. Candelaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands Public Health Service, 38010 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Rosa Llabrés-Solé: Faculty of Nursing N. S. Candelaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands Public Health Service, 38010 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Nieves Doria Lorenzo-Rocha: Faculty of Nursing N. S. Candelaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands Public Health Service, 38010 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: Background : Transgender people have a gender identity different from the one allocated to them at birth. In many countries, transsexualism and transgenderism are considered mental illnesses under the diagnosis of gender dysphoria. This pathologization impacts on human rights. Main content : The United Nations (UN) has denounced violations against trans-people, including attacks, forced medical treatments, lack of legal gender recognition, and discrimination in the areas of education, employment, access to healthcare, and justice. The UN has linked these violations directly with discriminatory diagnostic classifications that pathologize gender diversity. Trans-people have been pathologized by psycho-medical classification and laws all around the world, with a different impact depending on countries. This paper argues that pathologization infringes infringes upon a wide range of human rights such as; civil, economic, social cultural and also the access to medical care. Conclusions : The current situation for trans-people with respect to legal healthcare matters, depends on the country. Human rights are universal, not a question for cultural interpretation. They are the minimum that every human being must have assured only by the fact of being human. Countries must protect these rights by regulating trans-pathologization with special attention dedicated to intersex people and their specific needs.

Keywords: trans; transgender; gender identity; human rights; right to health; non-discrimination; pathologization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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