The experience of Chen Yang (pseudonym), a transgender man, who bought hormone drugs online and started to feel anxious after taking them for six months, only found out after going to the hospital for examination that it was drug-induced myocarditis. In order to bring their bodies closer to their psychologically identified gender, they have to obtain hormones through informal channels and bear unknown health risks. Nowadays, with the increasing attention of society to the demand for transgender healthcare, a pathway from "underground medication" to "formal diagnosis and treatment" is slowly being opened up.

In the past, transgender healthcare services have long been in a 'blank space'. There are less than 10 hospitals nationwide that can perform gender reassignment surgery, and professional gender anxiety counselors are even scarcer. The "Survey Report on Transgender Medical Needs in China" shows that 78% of transgender individuals have a need for hormone therapy, but only 12% can seek medical treatment in formal hospitals; 34% of people adjust their medication dosage on their own due to the inability to obtain professional guidance, leading to problems such as endocrine disorders and liver and kidney function damage. Even more helplessly, some doctors lack understanding of transgender knowledge and even classify it as a 'mental illness', causing those seeking help to once again fall into despair.

The turning point begins with proactive changes in the healthcare system. In 2022, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University will open a "Transgender Health Clinic" to provide comprehensive services from psychological counseling, hormone therapy to postoperative follow-up; A tertiary hospital in Beijing has included gender reassignment surgery in the scope of medical insurance reimbursement, significantly reducing the financial burden on patients; The Chinese Medical Association has released the "Expert Consensus on Transgender Health Management" to provide professional diagnosis and treatment guidelines for doctors. These measures enable transgender individuals to finally access safe and scientific services within the formal healthcare system.

The progress of medical care also relies on the transformation of social concepts. In the past, when it came to "gender reassignment surgery," many people would have a curious or exclusionary attitude; Nowadays, more and more people are beginning to understand that this is not "curiosity", but a necessary choice for transgender individuals to pursue physical and mental unity. As Chen Yang said after formal treatment, "I finally no longer have to worry about the side effects of medication, nor do I have to hide anymore. I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to my 'true self'

The improvement of transgender medical services is an important manifestation of social civilization. When every transgender person can receive professional diagnosis and treatment in formal hospitals, and when medical resources are no longer biased based on gender identity, this protection of "physical and mental unity" can truly reach the hearts of everyone in need. And this requires joint efforts from the medical industry and the general public to make "health equality" no longer a slogan, but a tangible reality.