Kerala- Sex change surgeries are increasing, says data

More sex reassignment surgeries in the state are performed for the male-to-female transition than for female-to-male transition according to the data from the social justice department on the number of transgender people who got financial assistance after the surgeries. The data shows the number of surgeries which has been rising over the years. Only 19 transgender people, which has 11 trans women, got the assistance in 2018-19, the number of beneficiaries hiked to 83, which has 41 trans women, in 2021-22 so far. Of the total of 191 transgender people who got assistance from 2018, 127 are trans women and 64, trans men.

The department provides reimbursement of Rs 2.5 lakh for trans women and Rs 5 lakh for trans men after the surgery. All those in the transgender community told the number of people going for a female to male transition is less because of the surgical complexities involved and fear of rejection from family and abuse on the streets.