vulnerable populations in China today.
“Although
there
legal
are
penalties
no
Transgender female sex workers face a
outright
for
broad array of discrimination in social and
being a transgender person
policy frameworks, preventing this highly
in China, the absence of non-
marginalized group access to a wide
discrimination laws, lack of
spectrum of services and legal protections.
professional medical services
They often experience amplified stigma
for transitioning, and a lack
due to both their gender identity and their
of targeted HIV programming
profession. Isolated and often humiliated
and services, mean there is no
when seeking public services, particularly
effective protection.”
in health care settings, has also led many
to self-medicate and engage in dangerous
transitioning practices, including on self-administered hormone use.
Living in fear of exposure has also led this diverse group of people to live increasingly
hidden lives, away from family, neighbors, potential employment, and within
communities that may subject them to verbal abuse or punitive action such as tenant
eviction, dismissal, or police abuse. Undertaking the most basic tasks becomes fraught,
especially if personal ID is required. Banking, airline or train travel, staying in hotels,
or renting an apartment, can quickly deteriorate into an exercise in public humiliation
if the gender presentation on the card does not match the gender marker of the
person requesting the service. Discrimination in the workplace is also a factor driving
transgender women from poor rural backgrounds into sex work.
Since sex work is illegal in China, law enforcement agencies are also one of the greatest
challenges that transgender sex workers face. 64% of the sex workers interviewed
for this report had been arrested and detained by the police, many had been arrested
more than once. Entrapment or “fishing” is a commonly used method by police, while
verbal and physical violence and/or extortion is not uncommon. While this is also true
for non-transgender female and male sex workers, the transgender female sex workers
interviewed spoke of abuse directed at their gender identity, compounded by detention
in prison cells designated for male prisoners.
The use of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs is also on the increase and is
widely used during sex work, leading to increased risk of STD and HIV infection and
other health problems.
2