How Gender Reassignment is Legally Possible in India

Every Indian citizen, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, etc., has a right to change their gender. They have the right to do so if they feel they don’t align with the gender they are born into. These people are called Transsexuals, who opt to change to different gender with medical help in the form of Gender Change Surgery in India.

It has been made possible for transgender people who undergo SRS Surgery in India. They can identify themselves according to their sexuality on their govt Identities like Aadhar cards, PAN cards, etc. 

Steps to Create a Gender Change Affidavit

Once a person has decided to change their gender, they have to start with preparing an affidavit declaring the change of gender along with a gender name change (if needed). This affidavit must contain the person’s name, their father’s name, address, age & gender and must adhere to the format published by the Department of Publication. These mentioned details are supposed to be used as a supporting proof. This affidavit must be printed on a stamp paper and shall be notarized.

Publishing Advertisement

The next step is to advertise in a leading newspaper in your city or state. The content to be placed in the same advertisement should be the same per the affidavit.

Gazette Procedure

This is the step in which the duly signed application has to be filled out along with the mandatory documents. There is a prescribed fee by the govt, which has to be paid at the time of filing. A Gazette is an official magazine published by the govt.

Gazette Publication

After the submission of the application, the Dept of Publication will review the application for gender reassignment. After the approval, the gender change will be published on Govt e-Gazette. It will take up to 45-60 business days for the transformation of gender notification to appear in the e-Gazette. 

What If the department rejects the Application

Sometimes the application can be rejected by the Department of Publication if the due procedures are not followed. Still, you can apply for the application again. You can also get legal assistance from lawyers to ensure no mistakes and due procedures are observed.

Documents Necessary for Gender Change Application

• Two Self-attested copies of govt-issued IDs (Aadhar/Voter ID/ Passport).
• Two Self-attested passport-size pictures.
• A specimen proforma signed by the applicant and two witnesses.
• A declaration stating that the information provided in the application is accurate.
• A letter of request along with the registration fee to the authority.

You can also change your gender in your govt IDs like Aadhar, PAN Card, Passport, Birth certificate, etc. For this, you have to follow the due steps provided for each application to change your gender and name(if required).

Therefore, It is possible for every Indian to change their gender legally and without facing any trouble if due procedures are followed for this process. 

Understanding the transgender community is the need of the hour if we wish to help them in the true sense. 

If you are suffering from gender dysmorphia, we have good news for you. You can undergo Gender Change Surgery in India. It is a procedure that helps a gender dysmorphic person to shift to their self-identified gender. This surgery has “Top surgery,” “bottom surgery,” and facial feminization surgery.

People undergoing SRS Surgery in India undergo a transition process, which begins with progesterone, followed by testosterone, estrogen HRT, aka Hormone Therapy. 

India has seen a rise in gender reassignment surgeries, according to data. One of the factors for this rise is the affordable cost of a sex change surgery.

The cost range of gender reassignment surgery in India is as follows:

• Male to Female: Rs 2 to 5 lakhs
• Female to male: Rs 4 to 8 lakhs.

The hormone therapy, during which hormones like estrogen and progesterone are injected, costs Rs 2500 per month. And if you want a visiting therapist, you will be charged around Rs 8300 per session. 

Cost Per Procedure

We will break down the whole cost of your gender transition journey per the procedures and other factors to keep in mind. 

Male to Female Surgery:

A Breakdown of Male to Female Surgical Options

1. Penectomy: This surgery involves the removal of the penis from the patient. It is for the transwoman who doesn’t want to keep the penis. It starts from Rs 90000.
2. Orchiectomy: It is testicle removal surgery. It starts from Rs 83000.
3. Vulvoplasty: This surgery involves the creation of a vulva after the removal of the penis, scrotum, and testicles. It starts from Rs 30000.
4. Zero depth bottom Surgery: In this surgery, the physician rearranges the tissues of the penis and scrotum to generate a vulva and properly functioning urethra. It costs around Rs 42000.
5. Vaginoplasty: During this surgery, the physician uses the skin and tissues of the penis to reconstruct the inner and outer vagina. The surgeon will also use a skin graft to construct a vaginal canal. It starts from Rs 8 lakhs.

Facial Feminisation surgery and its costs

It consists of cosmetic surgeries used to change male facial traits into feminine ones. It involves the reshaping of the chin and jawline, removal of facial hair, relocation of the hairline, etc. Here are some procedures and their costs as follows:

1. Tracheal Shave: This surgery involves the shaving of the trachea. Used by trans-women and non-binary people, this surgery costs around Rs 52000. It is also called ”Adam’s Apple removal surgery.”
2. Cheek implantation surgery: This surgery is used to make cheeks look full and more feminine by either cheek implants or cheekbone enhancement. It costs around Rs 74000.
3. Jawline Feminization Surgery: This part of the surgery involves the reconstruction of the jawline to make it look more feminine. The outer jaw is surgically proportioned to make it more suitable for the face. It starts from Rs 85000.
4. Chin Feminization surgery: In this surgery, features of the chin and jawline are enhanced to make them look more feminine. It is also called chin enlargement surgery. It costs around Rs 85000.
5. Forehead surgery: In this surgery, the extra skin of the forehead is removed to reduce the height of the hairline. It costs around Rs 33000.
6. Voice feminization surgeries: This surgery is performed to apply a more feminine voice to the patient. It costs around rs 84000.

These surgeries may seem costly, but they are far more affordable in India than the other nations.