The Trade-Off: Reading Bodily Autonomy, Civic Rights and The Medical System Through Trans Experiences
2024 – 2025
This paper is based on interviews with trans individuals who have attempted to access gender-affirming care in Lebanon, and with medical professionals interacting with trans individuals in their profession. The research explores trans individuals’ lived experiences accessing gender-affirming medical care; the medical institutions, actors, and regulations that they encounter; the overlap between the legal and medical aspects of trans individuals’ experiences; and how healthcare providers understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to gender-affirming care. This paper is part of the broader research project titled “Between the Clinic and the Courthouse: Trans experiences with bodily autonomy in Lebanon”, which was conducted by Qorras in 2024 and which focused on the legal and medical aspects of gender affirmation in Lebanon.
