Effects of Medical and Social Transition on Health and Well-Being: A Sociological Study Among Transgender Females in Odisha

The study seeks to focus on the most discriminated and stigmatized community of transgender females suffering from various intriguing issues, including economic, psychological and especially health and well-being. They stand deprived and marginalized and continue to exist as victims of domination from society's point of view. The scenario of transgender in Odisha is also seen from gender dysphonia or gender incongruence and identity disorder perspective, and situating transgender females in the modern context of their acceptance to the larger society becomes a challenge in the contemporary era. Taking 150 respondents as its sample size through snowball sampling, the study is carried out utilizing both primary and secondary sources of data collection in two districts of Odisha. Moreover, information regarding their type of gender transition and the methods they used, views regarding their self-satisfaction and its effect on their health and social relations were also emphasized to reveal the effects of medical and social transition on health and well-being. It helps to understand the issues of marginalization, identity, medical therapy and the effects of medical and social transition on them, highlighting the intra-community life experience and human relationships from the point of view of transgender individuals. It is observed from the study that medical transition helps to treat gender dysphoria and body dissatisfaction among transgender female, affecting their rate of social acceptance. The socially transitioned transgender females have higher self-confidence and positive feelings after the social transition. Hence, gender transition could be considered as healthy and acceptable to treat gender dysphoria but not sufficient to increase the acceptability of transgender within society.