A transgender woman in China has made history by winning a record-breaking payout of 60,000 yuan (Rs 6,92,637) after undergoing involuntary electroshock treatment at a psychiatric hospital. according to GuardianThe Changli County People’s Court in Hebei’s Qianhuangdao awarded the amount to Ling’er, a 28-year-old performance artist and transgender woman. Born male but identifying as female, Lingar’s case marked an important milestone in the recognition of LGBTQ+ rights in the country
Ling’er hoped that her case – the first in China where a transgender person successfully challenged electroshock conversion practices – would inspire others in the LGBTQ+ community to address medical controversies and protect their rights. ”In China, the situation for transgender people is not very optimistic. There is a lack of protection for this group,” she said.
Her tragic experience began in July 2022 when she was unknowingly admitted to Qinhuangdao City Fifth Hospital. After coming out to her parents as transgender last year, she faced strong opposition, with her family dismissing her gender identity as a sign of mental instability. As a result, they committed him to a psychiatric facility.
During her stay in the hospital, staff misdiagnosed Ling’er with “anxiety disorder and inconsistent sexual orientation”, despite her identity as heterosexual. Linger was hospitalized for 97 days and underwent seven sessions of electroshock therapy during his stay.
“It caused serious damage to my body. Every time I got treatment, I would faint… I didn’t agree to it, but I had no choice. The hospital tried to ‘fix’ me , so that I can conform to society’s expectations,” Ling’er said.
Electroshock treatments have caused ongoing heart problems that require medication. Determined to get justice, she filed a lawsuit against the hospital that reached the court. She argued that the treatments violated her rights. Under China’s mental health law, individuals can only be subjected to psychiatric treatment against their will if they pose a danger to themselves or others.
Darius Longarino, a research scholar at Yale Law School who focuses on Chinese law and civil society, said that doctors who give drugs or use electroshock practices to “convert” gay or trans people are “Are using intrusive, harmful treatments to treat something that should never be diagnosed in the first place”.
LGBTQ+ activists hailed the decision as a major achievement, paving the way for greater inclusivity and acceptance.
This case is not the first time a Chinese court has ruled in favor of a transgender person. In 2020, a Beijing court ruled that e-commerce company Dangdang must reinstate a transgender woman’s contract and pay her full salary after she was fired for taking leave for gender reassignment surgery. The court also stressed the importance of respecting a woman’s gender identity and providing women access to bathrooms.
