Transgender rights in Iran are complex, with seemingly contradictory laws in place. While there certainly are some extreme legal and social barriers to the rights of transgender people, Iran is, in other ways, more progressive on the issue than many of its neighboring countries.
Before the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the issue of transgender identity in Iran had never been officially addressed by the government. Beginning in the mid-1980s, however, transgender individuals were officially recognized by the government, under condition of undergoing sex reassignment surgery, with some financial assistance being provided by the government for the costs of surgery, and with a change of sex marker on birth certificates available post-surgery.
However, substantial legal and societal barriers exist in Iran. Transgender individuals who do not undergo surgery have no legal recognition and those that do are first submitted to a long and invasive process, including virginity tests, formal parental approval, psychological counseling that reinforces feelings of shame, and inspection by the Family Court. In addition, non-binary genders are not recognized in Iran and the quality of trans healthcare in the country, including hormone therapy and reconstruction surgeries, is often very low.
Iran considers transgender identity to be a mental disorder and has no laws protecting trans people against stigmatization or hate crimes. Transgender individuals also face extreme social pressures to hide the fact that they are transgender, often being forced to move to a new city, cut ties with any previous relationships, and conform to the strict sex segregation in Iran.[1] Harassment against transgender individuals is common within Iran, and trans people face increased risk of physical and sexual assault, exclusion from education and jobs, poverty, and homelessness.[2][3] The Iranian government also monitors online transgender communities, often subjecting them to censorship, and police routinely arrest trans people.[4]
The United Nations Human Rights Council has reported that "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children are subjected to electric shocks and the administration of hormones and strong psychoactive medications".[5][6]
^Welle, Deutsche. "How Iran's anti-LGBT policies put transgender people at risk | DW | 28.04.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
^Transgender In Tehran: Arsham's Story, retrieved 2021-06-11
^"Iran's transgender community are being beaten and disowned in spite of legal protections". PinkNews. 2018-05-21. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
^Welle, Deutsche. "Iran: How transgender people survive ultraconservative rule | DW | 16.05.2021". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
^"Transitions: Transgender Rights in Pakistan and Iran". Retrieved 2021-06-11.
^"A/hrc/46/50 - E - A/hrc/46/50 -Desktop". undocs.org. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
and 28 Related for: Transgender rights in Iran information
TransgenderrightsinIran are complex, with seemingly contradictory laws in place. While there certainly are some extreme legal and social barriers to...
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people inIran face severe challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Sexual activity between members...
was a campaigner for the rights of transgender people inIran, where she is widely recognized as a matriarch of the transgender community. Designated male...
Transgenderrightsin Canada, including procedures for changing legal gender and protections from discrimination, vary among provinces and territories...
and transgender (LGBT) people generally have limited or highly restrictive rightsin most parts of the Middle East, and are open to hostility in others...
Transgenderrightsin the Federal Republic of Germany are regulated by the Transsexuellengesetz ("Transsexual law") since 1980, and indirectly affected...
The transgenderrights movement is a movement to promote the legal status of transgender people and to eliminate discrimination and violence against transgender...
Transgender and travesti rightsin Argentina have been lauded by many as some of the world's most progressive. The country "has one of the world's most...
In the United States, the rights of transgender people vary considerably by jurisdiction. In recent decades, there has been an expansion of federal, state...
Transgender flags are used by people, organizations and communities to represent pride, diversity, rights and/or remembrance within the transgender community...
decisions about their transition themselves". LGBT rightsin the Republic of Ireland Transgenderrights McDonald, Henry (16 July 2015). "Ireland passes law...
legal status of transgender people varies greatly around the world. Some countries have enacted laws protecting the rights of transgender individuals, but...
Transgenderrightsin the United Kingdom have varied significantly over time, with transgender Britons facing certain social challenges not experienced...
Accounts of transgender people (including non-binary and third gender people) have been identified going back to ancient times in cultures worldwide....
surgical operations as acceptable (see transgenderrightsinIran). The foundation for this accepting attitude in contrast to intolerance of homosexuality...
The participation of transgender people in competitive sports, a traditionally sex-segregated institution, is a controversial issue, particularly the...
Maryam Hatoon Molkara, Iranian campaigner for TransgenderrightsinIran. Parvez Sharma, Indian-American filmmaker and LGBT rights activist. Ahmad Zahra...
Transgenderrightsin Brazil include the right to change one's legal name and sex without the need of surgery or professional evaluation, and the right...
Transgenderrightsin Australia have legal protection under federal and state/territory laws, but the requirements for gender recognition vary depending...
transgender (LGBT) people in Azerbaijan face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in...
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in South Korea face prejudice, discrimination, and other barriers to social inclusion not experienced...
being publicly transgender. From the end of World War I until 1933, transgender people enjoyed previously unprecedented freedoms and rights. Large leaps...
history of transgender people in the United States from prior to Western contact until the present. There are a few historical accounts of transgender people...
A transgender person (often shortened to trans person) is someone whose gender identity differs from that typically associated with the sex they were...
Sangama (human rights group) Sappho for Equality Iranian Queer Organization (based in Canada) Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (based in Canada) Hoshen...
human rights." This report suggested that transgender people were "one of the most marginalised groups" in New Zealand, leading the Human Rights Commission...
used in support of the transgenderrights movement with a focus on transgender youth. The phrase is often used in protests by transgenderrights activists...