Transgenderism No Longer A Mental Illness: WHO
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published June 20, 2018 | 12:04 AM
Transgender people, who identify as the opposite gender to the one they were born with, should no longer be considered mentally ill, according to a new UN categorisation.
Geneva, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jun, 2018 ) :Transgender people, who identify as the opposite gender to the one they were born with, should no longer be considered mentally ill, according to a new UN categorisation.
The World Health Organization issued a new catalogue Monday covering 55,000 diseases, injuries and causes of death, in which it discreetly recategorised transgenderism.
The new catalogue, which still needs to be approved by UN member countries, so-called "gender incongruence" is now listed under "conditions related to sexual health", instead of "mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders".
"We expect (the re-categorisation) will reduce stigma," Lale Say, the coordinator of WHO's department of reproductive health and research, told AFP Tuesday.
WHO says gender incongruence is characterised as a "marked and persistent incongruence between an individual's experienced gender and the assigned sex." Several new chapters appear in the first update of WHO's International Classification of Diseases catalogue since the 1990s, including the one on sexual health.
"We think it will reduce stigma so that it may help better social acceptance for these individuals," Say said, adding that since the catalogue is used by doctors and insurers to determine coverage, the move away from a mental disorder could "even increase access to healthcare".
The document, which member states will be asked to approve during the World Health Assembly in Geneva next May, will take effect from January 1, 2022 if it is adopted.
Several countries have already taken steps to reclassify transgenderism and take it off the list of mental disorders, including France and Denmark.
Say said she thought the text, which is the result of years of discussion among experts, would easily win approval, despite widespread lack of acceptance of transgender people in many parts of the world.
WHO's latest catalogue also has a new chapter on traditional medicine, which previously went unmentioned, despite being used by millions of people around the world.
It also includes a section on video gaming, recognising gaming disorder as a pathological condition that can be addictive in the same way as cocaine.
Recent Stories
PM makes two more appointments in his team
Terrorists of Shangla suicide attack will be brought to justice: Interior Minist ..
Applications Open for 6th Cycle of Start-up Incubation under the National Expans ..
Join vivo's "Light it Up" Social Media Contest in Ramadan to Win vivo V30 5G
Pakistan v New Zealand T20I series: Tickets to go on sale from today
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 29 March 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 29 March 2024
Journalists call for global action to end Gaza’s humanitarian crisis
CM for generating opportunities to bring direct int'l investment
Pakistan retains position in FTSE secondary emerging market
High Commissioner of Malaysia hosts Iftar dinner reception
NEPRA announces 2nd quarterly adjustment in power bills with Rs 1.68 cut per uni ..
More Stories From World
-
Titian's masterpiece "Flora" breathes vibrancy into Sino-Italian art exchange
5 minutes ago -
Beijing International Film Festival to open mid-April
5 minutes ago -
China's overnight Shibor interbank rate decreases Friday
15 minutes ago -
Tokyo stocks end higher tracking Wall Street gains
25 minutes ago -
Boao forum urges global cooperation in energy transition
25 minutes ago -
China to export homegrown tunnel-boring machine to Italy
25 minutes ago
-
Over 9 pct of Mongolia's livestock die in cold winter
25 minutes ago -
ChiNext Index closes higher Friday
25 minutes ago -
Ukraine says downed 84 of 99 Russian missiles, drones launched overnight
35 minutes ago -
Philippines observes Good Friday with crucifixions and whippings
45 minutes ago -
Tokyo shares close higher after Wall Street records
55 minutes ago -
Over 9 pct of Mongolia's livestock die in cold winter
1 hour ago