2025/03/31 by Chanchal De Boxi, Seema Singh, Debdas Roy
Psychology · Medicine · Social Sciences · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Reproductive Health and Technologies #Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/26895269.2025.2483224
Background: The narratives of trans women dominate the discourse on 'trans rights' in India, thereby marginalizing transmasculine identities that continue to be 'invisible' in public perception. Trans men are often neglected in gynecological and reproductive healthcare, including gender-affirming services, despite their distinct sexual and reproductive requirements. Notwithstanding substantial progress in recognizing and protecting women's reproductive rights, Indian judiciaries have persistently overlooked the reproductive and health rights of transgender individuals. The recent enactment of India's ART Bill of 2008 and the Surrogacy Bill of 2016 and the Transgender Persons Act, 2019 has further reinforced this conviction. Purpose: The study aimed to explore trans men's experiences of poor healthcare facilities and reproductive (in)justice shaped by India's recent legislations. Method: Comprehensive searches were performed across multiple databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, and official government websites, employing search strings pertinent to gender recognition and assisted human reproduction (AHR) legislation, and reproductive healthcare. A total of four narratives were identified for discussion using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed: (1) uninformed and reluctant healthcare providers, (2) invalidation of gender identity and invasive questions, (3) lack of availability of free gender-transition services in public hospitals, and (4) Denial of protection under constitutional framework. Conclusion: This study adds to the expanding field of literature calling for transmasculine persons' reproductive health rights and informing policies.