Transgender Health Care in Europe: Russia

The ability to change registered sex on the basis of transsexualism appeared in Russia only with the adoption of the law in 1997. There are no medical standards regulating the process leading to the issuance of the... [ view full abstract ]

The ability to change registered sex on the basis of transsexualism appeared in Russia only with the adoption of the law in 1997. There are no medical standards regulating the process leading to the issuance of the certificate. Most psychiatrists in Russia don't even know the term transgender and do not understand who are trans-women and trans-men. The first aim of psychiatric treatment is to cure the cross-gender identity feelings and to help the person accept his/her sex of birth. The diagnosis of “transsexualism” are often based on nonobjective criteria and no appropriate psychometric instrumentsare used to measure gender-dysphoric symptoms. In most cases, appearance in accordance with gender stereotypes seems to play an important role in receiving the diagnosis of “Transsexualism”, although this depends on the psychiatrist.

The ban on the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors makes it impossible to provide assistance to gender-nonconforming children and adolescents.There is complete unwillingness of most psychiatrists... [ view full abstract ]

The ban on the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors makes it impossible to provide assistance to gender-nonconforming children and adolescents.

There is complete unwillingness of most psychiatrists in Russia to listen to arguments of depathologization. There is very little knowledge of specialists with international experience and an attempt to shake it off. The problem is that by isolating themselves from the global professional community, the Russian psychiatry adheres to the views of 40-year-old. The situation needs to be changed but this is hardly possible in the current political situation.