Chinese woman gets her wish to undergo gender confirmation surgery at 72
After a long battle, Xin Yue is finally living as her truest self.
The 72-year-old transgender woman was recently able to undergo gender confirmation surgery in China's Guangdong province. But her story makes clear the barriers and discrimination transgender people still face in society.
Xin, who is from Beijing, had to complete a series of tests and answer more than 1,000 questions to ensure she was "ready" for gender confirmation surgeries.
Under Chinese law, patients also need to get approval from their direct relatives before they can undergo gender confirmation surgery. Thankfully, both Xin's wife and daughter were in full support of her need to transition.
"(Our daughter) joked that she would have two mothers," Leng Rui, Xin Yue's wife told the Southern Metropolis Daily.
Xin says she still lives together with her wife, though she explained their relationship status has changed.
"In the future, my wife and I can use the term ‘sister’ for each other," she said. "We will still live together."
Xin grew up with two brothers, and was often dressed in girl's clothing by her parents because they wanted a daughter. She was given the nickname Er gu niang, or "second girl."
Xin eventually got married and the couple had a child three years after marriage. But it was only after her retirement in 2002 that she eventually came across a forum for LGBTQ people and realised she was transgender.
After undergoing confirmation curgery, Xin says she now feels like a woman in "her 30s."
Chinese netizens were quick to come out in support of Xin, with many hailing her decision.
"She's brave to do this on her own. I wish her happiness and health in old age," said one netizen on Weibo.
"Her lifetime is finally considered complete. What a blessing!" said another.
However, not everyone was fully supportive, further illuminating the discrimination transgender people still face in Chinese society.
"Why did the parents have to dress up a boy as a girl, leading to the child's gender ambiguity? We should teach gender education," said one netizen.
"There are a lot of people in support here... I don't understand. How do you think the wife feels? She's going to spend the rest of her life as a joke," another added.
China appears to be taking some steps toward supporting broader LGBTQ rights, with the country allowing the screening of the film Moonlight and stopping the classification of homosexuality as a psychological disorder.
Still, same-sex marriages or civil unions are still not recognised in the country. LGBTQ topics remain taboo across more traditional parts of the country.
Additional reporting by Katie Dupere
Topics LGBTQ
Yvette is a Viral Content Reporter at Mashable Asia. She was previously reporting for BBC's Singapore bureau and Channel NewsAsia.
