"living with dignity'': Health needs and demands of trans men in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil

Abstract

This article discusses the health needs and demands of trans men, a topic that has received little attention and frequently calls for the development of specific health care practices for this population. A qualitative study was performed, consisting of participant observation and semi-structured interviews with trans men residing in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, the majority of whom were black, heterosexual, and 20 to 43 years of age. The analysis was based on interpretative anthropology, linked to critique of the assumption of intersectionality and the decolonial perspective. The health needs and demands of trans men are organized in three aspects: de-pathologization, body modification, and outpatient care. These aspects are not universal among trans men and may result from situations that indicate group conflicts and pressures. The absence of transsexualization process in the state of Bahia and barriers to accessing the health care network intensify the commodification of trans men’s health demands and especially body modifications. The study concludes that structural transphobia triggers a series of health issues, while limiting the possibilities for obtaining care. The de-pathologization of trans experiences constitutes the central basis for conceiving care, relating it to cultural, political, and social changes that involve the construction of a non-transphobic society and foster the well-being and recognition of trans men.