TO COMPLEMENT A STORY BY THE AMERICAN NEWSWEEK THAT WE TRANSLATED FOR OUR JULY PUBLICATION, WE HIRED A WRITER TO DO A LOCAL STORY ON TRANSGENDER ISSUES. SHANGHAIIST ALSO WROTE SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSGENDER TODAY FOLLOWING A BIT OF NEWS FROM SHENZHEN. I EDITED AND TRANSLATED OUR STORY.
Society
When He or She Becomes She or He
By Gubo
On June 2, butterflies flocked upon the sofas, on the walls, and on the stairs of a Beijing luxury apartment’s bar and lounge. Everywhere the butterflies, of various sizes, patterns and colors – all lifelike and vivid—decorated the room. Han Bingbing wore a knee-length white dress with a golden and black-trimmed winged butterfly pinned to her chest. She also wore a smile as she gracefully shuttled between several guests who had come for her company’s first fashion show. That day, she used a countless array of butterflies to not only express to her guests the beginning of her new company, but also to express the beginning of her new life’s journey – breaking out of her cocoon as a butterfly.
The day that Han Bingbing really turned into a butterfly was March 11, 1999. Previous to that day, her name was Xuan Xiaoman, and her ID card’s sex was “male.”
Han Bingbing was born in a small town of less than 70,000 at the Daxing Anling Forest. When she was 7 years old, her mother passed away leaving behind Han Bingbing, her father and her three big brothers and two big sisters. When she was little, Han Bingbing got on very well playing with the girls and thought she was the same as them. She loved all little girls’ games and disliked all boys’ play with their toy knives, guns, clubs and sticks. “I never thought there was any difference between me and the girls. I felt I was a girl encased in a boy’s casing.”
At the age of 12, Han Bingbing was admitted to the Hulun Buir Art School where she studied folk dance for four years. During that period, she said the boys didn’t treat her any differently than they treated the girls. After graduating from the art school, Han Bingbing couldn’t bear her boy’s body. She moved far from home and plunged herself into various jobs all over China. Once, she went south where she worked the stage at a nightclub. She was especially good at drag performances of the Drunken Beauty and Yang Liping’s Peacock. Singing, dancing – whatever the girls could do, she could master too. Wearing a skirt, applying lipstick – the girls did it, and she loved it all too. She once even tried out being an actress, but ultimately she didn’t succeed. “It’s hard to place someone like me, it’s hard to gain acceptance.”
In 1998 in Shanghai, Han Bingbing met two women who had successfully undergone a sex change operation from male to female. And from them she first heard Dr. Chen Huanran’s name. In China’s medicine world, Dr. Chen Huanran has been given the title “China’s master of the sex change operation.” From the 1990s onward, of China’s more than 300 sex changes, 70% to 80% were performed by Dr. Chen Huanran, as have been more than 90% of the sex change operation cases in Beijing. After she learned of this option, Han Bingbing told herself if she wanted to live a life she enjoyed, then she must undergo this change. She recalls that before she entered the surgery room, it was just that smooth and natural, “From start to finish, I knew I was a woman at heart. I wanted a body to match.”
Not all who seek out Dr. Chen Huanran are able to undergo the operation to fulfill their heart’s desire. He or she must first pass a series of strict inspections and attain a variety of institutional evidence. That evidence includes the hospital’s proof of a clean bill of mental health, a verification compiled from the diagnosis of psychologists, mental health experts and clinical doctors’ of the transsexual diagnosis, the Public Security Bureau’s verification of a criminal-free record, and an agreement signed by parents or relatives to the surgery, etc. Only then can Dr. Chen Huanran accept the request to a sex change operation. He says every year he receives 1,500 to 2,000 inquiries, but only 30 people annually reach his operating table.
However, he points out that these days in China there still isn’t a set of transsexual-oriented law policy, and the pre-operation inspection procedure isn’t standardized. Under this lawless, prohibition-free situation, many unregulated hospitals don’t even ask for any sort of certification prior to surgery. This makes Dr. Chen Huanran very anxious. He points out that a sex change operation is not just lopping off breasts and cutting out Adam’s apples and surgically removing the reproductive organs. It also involves rebuilding a person’s new sexual organs and restoring the person to that second sex. It requires making sure, from head to toe, that every part of the body adapts to the new sex – a truly complicated operational procedure that requires at least half a year to several years time to complete.
Although sex change surgery technique has already reached quite an advanced level in China—among those techniques the first-rate ability to recreate world-class male to female operations with lifelike, seamlessly precise female reproductive organs and breasts—China currently only has 20 to 30 hospitals in big cities that have the capability for the surgery. And doctors who have received training from the Health Department only number in the dozens. Dr. Chen Huanran says he has more than once come across unqualified sex change applicants who instead went to unregulated hospitals for the surgery and after its failure returned to him seeking a remedy.
Dr. Chen Huanran sympathizes with these people’s plight. Financial ability, parental concern, social prejudice all present a wall blocking the transsexual from making the change. Some may find alternative ways to endure, and perhaps others reach out to similar people at bars or nightclubs to vent about the inequities life has presented to them. A small portion — the most extreme — might commit suicide. In front of these walls, many bash their heads, and the blood flows.
Dr. Chen Huanran also evenly addresses that he has faced criticism from all walks of society, which forced him, at one point, to abandon these operations. That was until a Buddhist monk said to him in 2004, “The Buddha only asks for the people’s spirit to be happy and full of peace.” It was only from this innermost turmoil that he emerged.
Actually, even a sex change can’t guarantee a transsexual’s happiness. Dr. Chen Huanran says he knows that half or more of the people who change sex face the huge pressures of adjusting to their new identity, a lack of pardon from their families and a general ignorance and fear among the general populace.
Han Bingbing says that many of her friends hide out by day and only dare to come out at night. But she believes that the more this is the case, the more people will misunderstand people like her, the more people will look strangely upon transsexuals. She says the reason that the famous transsexual dancer Jin Xing has achieved such success is because she is open about who she is. She doesn’t care about what other people may think of her. Han Bingbing also believes that those friends of hers who dress up their bodies while keeping their minds cloaked in a man’s way of thinking face difficulty in finding a place in society because “being able to wear a bra or a skirt doesn’t stand for anything.”
Recently, Han Bingbing adopted a daughter. As soon as she mentions returning home from work to change her daughter’s diaper and bottle feed her, Han Bingbing’s face lights up. Then she carefully touches up her make-up in the mirror and gives the Newsweek Select photographer a mature and confident smile. Although strange elements surround her life, with the support of her family and friends and on the road to professional success, she feels pride and confidence in her new identity. She says, “When god made me, he made a mistake. I only had an operation to fix that.”
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INFO BOX
The Road towards Change
1970s
After an accident, a disabled person receives a sex change operation from Professor Song Ruyao (deceased), but there was no public record of the event at the time.
1983
In Beijing, Zhang Kesha undergoes an operation to become a woman. She becomes the earliest recorded transsexual in Chinese history.
1995
Beijing Number Three Hospital attempts to perform an exchange transplant of a man and woman’s genitals but without success.
1997
Dr. Chen Huanran opens the first Chinese website dedicated to transsexuals. (transexroad.com)
2001
The Gender Remodeling Center of the Chinese Academy of Medical Science is established. Dr. Chen Huanran is appointed director.
December 2003
China’s first successfully made male transsexual obtains a wedding license with his girlfriend in Chengdu.
May 2004
Sichuan transsexual Zhang Lin and boyfriend Yang Qicheng marry and release their full names to the media. It attracts a frenzy of attention.
October 2004
A new “Marriage Registration Rule” puts forth the stipulation that a marrying couple must be one male and one female. Transsexual people need only register under their new sex to marry and will not face discrimination.
December 2004
Harbin transsexual Liu Xiaojing receives “best media impression” at the “Manmade Beauty Contest” in Beijing.
August 2005
An art film about transsexuals’ love life, “Privacy” shows at underground theatres around China. Lead actress Lily Chen plays a transsexual who was thrown out of the local 2004 Sichuan “Miss Universe” pageant.
March 2006
Anhui native Huang Ningqian uses the Zhejiang Internet site “Red Bride Channel” to become China’s first transsexual looking for a spouse online.
April 2006
Xishuangbana Jinuo minority transsexual Mi Namu Zha enters the first round of finals for the Miss Yunnan Minority pageant.
May 2007
Image stylist Jimmy announces he wants a sex change. It causes an online uproar. According to Sohu.com, 53% of netizens support him in his decision, while 17% oppose it. The situation has yet to be resolved.
Country / Sex Change Tendency Male Female
USA 1／100,000 1／400,000
Australia, New Zealand 1／24,000 1／150,000
Singapore 35.2／100,000 12／100,000
China, including Taiwan 1／50,000—1／100,000 1／50,000—1／100,000
Source: transexroad.com
1. Dr.Chen Huanran believes that, no matter what, a person has the right to decide what sex they are. Even if that choice violates what their natural anatomy has presented the individual with, psychology is what ultimately defines a person’s gender.
2. For a man to transition to become a woman costs some 40 to 200 thousand RMB. For a woman to transition to become a man, it will cost twice that and often more. Additionally, there is expenditure of hormone therapy pre and post surgery.
Society
当他（她）变成她（他）
撰文／顾波（北京）
今年 6 月 2 日，北京西大望路一所高级公寓的休闲酒吧里，沙发上，墙壁上，楼梯上，海报上，到处都点缀着色彩斑斓，精巧逼真，大小各异的蝴蝶。寒冰冰身穿及膝白色裙子，胸前别着一只金翅黑边的蝴蝶，面带微笑，轻盈的穿梭在几十位嘉宾之间。当天是寒冰冰为自己的服装公司首次召开订制见面会的日子。她用了无数的“蝴蝶”，除了是向所有的来宾说，这是她公司的一个新开始之外，也表达了她的人生也展开了一个新的旅程——破茧成蝶。
1999 年 3 月 11 日是寒冰冰真正变成“蝴蝶”的日子。在那之前，她的名字叫宣晓曼，身份证上的性别一栏写的是“男”。
寒冰冰出生在大兴安岭林区一个人口不到七万的小镇。七岁那年，母亲去世，留下父亲、冰冰和三个哥哥、两个姐姐。小时候，寒冰冰和女孩子玩得特别近，觉得自己和她们是“同类”。女孩玩的游戏她都爱玩，男孩子的刀枪棍棒一切都不喜欢。她说：“我从来不觉得自己跟女孩子有什么区别。我觉得我就是个套在男孩套子里的女孩。”
12岁时，寒冰冰考上海拉尔的呼伦贝尔艺术学院，跳了4年民间舞。在那段时间，她说男生也是像对待女生般对待她。从艺校毕业以后，寒冰冰再也不能接受自己的男儿之身，她远离家乡，开始了四处闯荡。她曾到南方的夜总会登台演出，尤其擅长反串贵妃醉酒和杨丽萍的孔雀舞。唱歌、跳舞，女孩子会的，她都拿手。穿裙子、抹口红，女孩子做的，她都喜欢。她也曾经考过演员，但是最终没有成功。她说：“我这样（性倾向）的人不好定位，不被认可。”
1998 年，寒冰冰在上海认识了两位成功由男孩变成女孩的朋友，也第一次听到了陈焕然医生这个名字。陈焕然在中国医学界被称为“华夏第一变性大师”，自 1990 年代以来，中国 300 多宗变性手术中，70% 到 80% 都是由他操刀的。而在北京的变性手术里，超过 90％ 以上由他执行。自此之后，寒冰冰告诉自己必须要达成这个转变，要过一个自己喜欢的生活。她回忆在进入手术室之前，一切都是那么的顺理成章，“我自始至终都知道自己是女孩的心态，喜欢的也都是男孩。我想要一个合法的身份。”
并不是每个来找陈焕然医生的人，都可以像寒冰冰那样能够实现改变性别的愿望。他（她）们必须通过一系列严格的检查和来自各机构的证明，比如医院开具的无精神病史证明，由心理医生、精神病专家和临床医师联合会诊得出的异性癖诊断，公安局开出的无犯罪记录证明，父母或至亲家属签字的经过公证的手术同意书等等，陈焕然医生才会接受这些人的变性手术要求。他说现时每年接到约 1,500 到 2,000 宗查询，但真正能做的一年不到 30 个。
不过他指出，中国至今还没有一套与变性有关的法律法令，手术前后的考察标准也都是各地而异。在“法无禁止即可为”的情况下，很多不正规的医院根本不要求任何证明。陈焕然对此感到非常忧虑。他指出，变性手术并非只是隆胸，去喉结，切掉生殖器官那么简单。它还包括重造新的生殖器及整复第二性征，另外还须从头到脚，让身体其他部位与新改造后的身份相互适应，这是一项十分复杂的手术工程，需要至少半年到几年的时间才能完成。
虽然中国在这些技术方面已经达到了相当高的水平，其中男性变女性的手术已达到世界先进水平，比如女性性器官、乳房再造术等几乎可说天衣无缝，以假乱真，但中国目前大约只有二、三十家大城市的医院有能力做这类变性手术，且真正受过由卫生部培训的医生也不过几十人。他说曾见过不少不合格的申请者去找这些不正规的医院做手术，失败后再到他那里找补救。
对于这些人，陈焕然也是很同情他们的处境。经济能力、父母想法、社会成见都是“异性转换”的几堵“墙壁”。他们有些可以通过其他途径忍受下去，或到诸如夜店、网吧等地方寻找相同的群体，以宣泄心理上的不平衡。而部份极端者，则选择结束自己的生命。在这几堵墙前，这些人很多都撞得头破血流。
陈焕然坦然说道，他也曾面对过来自社会各界的指责，让他一度萌生放弃做这类手术的想法。直到 2004 年某天一位僧人对他说：“佛祖普渡众生，只求众生心灵快乐安宁。”他才从这种内心的动荡情绪中跳出来。
其实，这些人即使变了性别也不见得能一定过得快乐。陈焕然说他知道超过一半以上的变性人除了得到新的身份，他们的自我生存能力、家人的不谅解、民众因无知而产生的恐惧等等，都让他们压力重重。
寒冰冰也说她不少朋友便是白天躲着，只敢晚上出门。但她认为，越是这样，别人越不理解，越拿异样的眼光看她们。她说中国著名的变性人舞蹈家金星之所以那么成功，便是因为她让人知道了她的身份。所以她自己在这方面绝不会去理会别人的看法。另外，寒冰冰也认为有些朋友那种以为打扮得花枝招展便可以靠个男人的思想，是很难让他们在社会上找到合适的位置的，因为“光是能穿胸罩穿裙子并不代表什么。”
不久前，寒冰冰领养了一个女儿，她一提到下班回家给女儿换尿布喂奶粉马上脸放光彩。她对着镜子仔细的补了一下妆，在给《新闻周刊 中文月刊》拍照时露出一个自信和成熟的笑容。尽管四周的眼光还是有些异样成份，但是在家人和朋友的支持下，在成功的事业路上，她对自己的新身份既自信又自豪。她说：“上帝在造我的时候犯了一个错误，我只是（通过手术）把这个错误纠正过来罢了。”
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INFO BOX
变性之路
1970 年代
一位因伤致残者在北京接受了宋儒耀教授（已故）的变性手术，但是当时没有公开报道。
1983 年
张克莎在北京接受了男变女的手术，成为中国有纪录的最早的变性人。
1995 年
北京第三医院做了一例男女互换生殖器的手术，但没有成功。
1997 年
陈焕然医生开办了中国第一个以变性为主题的网站：中国变性之路（transexroad.com）。
2001 年
中国医学科学院性别重塑中心成立，陈焕然医生任中心主任。
2003 年 12 月
中国首个男变性人在四川成都和女友领取了结婚证。
2004 年 5 月
四川变性人章琳和男友杨启成结婚。双方均公开了姓名及接受了传媒采访，引人瞩目。
2004 年 10 月
新《婚姻登记条例》推出并规定，结婚双方必须是一男一女，变性人只要按新的性别重新办理身份证，即可登记结婚，不受歧视。
2004 年 12 月
哈尔滨变性人刘晓晶在北京人造美女大赛夺最佳新闻印象奖。
2005 年 8 月
一部讲述女变性人情爱生活的电影“隐私”在各地下影院上映。主角陈莉莉在2004 年参加环球小姐四川赛区初赛时因变性人身份被取消资格。
2006 年 3 月
安徽变性人黄宁倩在浙江都市网红娘频道对外征婚，成为中国第一个网络征婚的变性人。
2006 年 4 月
西双版纳基诺族变性人咪娜穆吒进入第一届云南民族之花小姐决赛。
2007 年 5 月
造型师吉米宣布要变性，引起网友强烈反响。搜狐网的民意调查指有53%支持，17%反对。事件仍未终结。
国家 / 变性倾向 男性
女性
美国 1／100,000 1／400,000
澳大利亚和新西兰 1／24,000 1／150,000
新加坡 35.2／100,000 12／100,000
中国（包括台湾省）
1／50,000—1／100,000 1／50,000—1／100,000
SOURCE: 中国变性之路
PULL QUOTES
1.陈焕然医生认为，不管怎样，一个人有权决定他（她）的性别，即使这与他（她）的解剖学性别相违背──心理性别应该作为判定一个人性别的最后依据。
2.男变女的费用由四、五万到二十万元人民币不等，女变男者要贵上一倍以上。另还要加手术前后的荷尔蒙费用支出。
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