Transcending the Gender Binary under International Law: Advancing Health-Related Human Rights for Trans∗ Populations

Abstract

Despite a recent wave in global recognition of the rights of transgender and gender-diverse populations, referred to in this text by the umbrella label of trans*, international law continues to presume a cisgender binary definition of gender - dismissing the lived realities of trans∗ individuals throughout the world. This gap in international legal recognition and protection has fundamental implications for health, where trans∗ persons have been and continue to be subjected to widespread discrimination in health care, longstanding neglect of health needs, and significant violations of bodily autonomy.