Transgender: Conchita Wurst

Transgender: Conchita Wurst

 

Transgender: ‘Changing gender costs me $100 a month’

The cost of changing genders in Tanzania has been revealed in an interview on the BBC’s Newsday programme.

One trans person transitioning to become a man told Alan Kasujja that it costs $100 (£80) a month to get the two shots of hormones needed to change the body.

But that’s not the only cost – as Tanzanians need to travel to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in order to get the hormones.

And travelling sees other challenges:

Quote Message: My passport says female. Every time I travel I am stripped naked to confirm my gender.”

My passport says female. Every time I travel I am stripped naked to confirm my gender.”

This need to travel for hormones may change in future as the trans community in Tanzania’s main city, Dar es Salaam, has organised for one private specialist doctor to treat them.

As well as being challenged at passport control, the interviewee has also been questioned coming out of a male toilet in a bar:

Quote Message: The guy was saying ‘you are a female you don’t belong to this space’. Lucky for me I knew the bouncer so he stopped.”

The guy was saying ‘you are a female you don’t belong to this space’. Lucky for me I knew the bouncer so he stopped.” (BBC)

 

Editorial Chief, Nigerian Bureau

Kings UBA is a Nigerian journalist and writer. I have reported for major local and international news organisations. I write satire. In 2017, I started contributing stories primarily to Discover Africa News Network. I can be reached on editorkingsuba@gmail.com. I currently manage Discover Africa News social media handles