Home Institution

Swarthmore College

Publication Date

Spring 2023

Program Name

India: Public Health, Gender, and Community Action

Abstract

The paper seeks to draw connections between socioeconomic barriers faced by the transgender (trans) community in Delhi, India and the healthcare that the community receives. It primarily discusses transgender people who are not part of the kinnar population, with as much consideration to the experiences of the kinnar community as possible, given limited access to their circles. Five transgender individuals and two cisgender individuals who have worked with trans communities participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews to understand various factors that affect trans people’s daily lives and their healthcare experiences in Delhi. Interviews were transcribed and coded, finding common themes of societal perception, family pressure, discrimination in education, housing, and employment, general treatment as factors affecting healthcare experiences. The paper relies primarily on the lived experiences and expertise of trans participants, supplemented by scholarly sources which restate the impact of these social issues to explain how each of these factors impacts healthcare quality and access for trans people. The final section offers future directions for research and improving the state of the trans community in Delhi, in areas of healthcare and beyond.

Disciplines

Asian Studies | Gender and Sexuality | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Medicine and Health | Mental and Social Health | Social Work | South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies

Download

Share

Article Location

 
COinS