Based on PinkDot 2024 survey, trans student were more likely to experience discrimination in school (64%) and less likely to report feeling safe in school. 66% report negative experiences at school, 67.8% are not out at school, and of those who came out, 34.0% did not receive a positive reaction from peers in school (MPSC 2025).

Trans identities are not included in the school curriculum, with no gender-inclusive uniform policies for trans students. This perpetuates the social stigma and exclusion from society.

Educators should nurture positive self-identities of trans students. However due to lack of understanding of transgender identities, they are often not supported and associated with shame.

Uniforms and activities are gendered and trigger gender dysphoria. There is also a lack of gender-affirming uniform policy when a trans student is transitioning.

In 2021, Ashley, a transgender student in junior college, was first disallowed to come to school unless she conformed to the male dress code, then only offered the option of home-based learning.

Policies in universities are slightly more inclusive, but students face numerous hurdles, such as the lack of a gender-inclusive toilets or policies.

Current policies do not allow for a name change on the certificates after graduation, which often outs job-applying candidates as transgender, even after they have done a legal name change.

Up to secondary school, transgender educators who have not managed to change their gender markers are not allowed to teach.

The exclusion sends a message that trans people cannot be role model citizens.

In the MPSC Report, unemployment rate was 12%, whereas it was a mere 1.9% for Singapore’s general population for the same period.

Job applicants encounter harassment during job seeking, discrimination during screening and interviews, and discrimination due to mismatched legal documents.

Gender identity is not a protected characteristic under Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Act. Being out exposes them to harassment and discrimination, with no legal protection. 36.1% are not out at their workplaces, with actuals likely higher.

36.0% of trans employees face harassing comments and questions from colleagues about their identities, including invasive questions on their sex life.

Internalised transphobia can lead to being held to a higher standard vs. other employees; or being socially excluded.

Many corporate insurances do not cover gender-affirming healthcare, such as hormone therapy and surgeries.

Colleagues may view change as cross-dressing, there is low understanding of the process and necessity of transitioning. Companies are ill-equipped to support transitioning.

The lack of positive representation in a society perpetuates the social stigma of trans identities in workplaces.

This is due to fear of harassment related to trans identities, where many experience being asked invasive questions unrelated to the issue they are seeking help for (14.3%); or disrespecting preferred names (22.3%) and pronouns (35.1%).

This avoidance can lead to delayed diagnoses and untreated health conditions.

This may be due to the discomfort of being treated as female in a gynae clinic, being reminded of their female parts, or being the lone male in a room full of pregnant women.

Education of doctors and mental health professionals on gender care is limited. Only about a third of respondents agreed their mental healthcare doctors and professions was aware of trans issues.

The lack of knowledge on trans issues amongst healthcare professionals contribute to poor experiences, further limiting healthcare access for the community.

Only 48% of respondents trust their general healthcare or mental healthcare doctors, due to the negative experiences and the lack of knowledge of trans issues.

Healthcare providers hold biased attitudes or lack cultural competency. These experiences can invalidate trans identities and contribute to a distrust of the healthcare system, and individuals may avoid seeking care altogether.

The healthcare system lacks integration between general and gender-specific services, which can lead to gaps of care. For example, someone receiving hormone therapy may not have access to necessary mental health support.

that they consult for general and GA healthcare. However, this is only true for 46.3% of tranmasc non-binary persons. This is a positive stat.

This ia another positive finding, that 100% of respondents who are on hormone therapy, including those getting from private sources, regularly monitor with blood tests and check-ups.

In 2024, MOH raised access to GAHT in public hospitals from 18 with parental consent, to 21 years old. This denies trans teens with supportive parents from accessing affordable care.

Singapore does not have local standards and guidelines, which may result in mismanagement of conditions.

Expertise on trans-specific surgeries remain scarce, forcing patients to seek surgeries abroad.

59% of respondents faced financial constraints for their GAHT, and 14.1% had to stop GAHT due to cost.

Gender-affirming surgeries, while offered at local hospitals, are not subsidised, imposing financial strain on a minority group that already faced socioeconomic disadvantages.

Due to prevailing social stigma, many hesitate to receive care from the public healthcare systems, fearing exposure to more discrimination.

Gender or sex marker change requires a set of surgeries that cost $30k - $200k. Only 6% of transgender people who want to change their gender marker have been able to.

Surgeries carry significant risk, particularly genital reconstruction surgery. Associated complications include infection, nerve damage, chronic pain, incontinence, extensive scarring, permanent loss of sensation or function, and death.

For persons with pre-existing medical conditions, undertaking surgery may not be possible.

These include risks to personal safety, with elevated minority stress that leads to poorer mental health; barriers to marriage and housing in Singapore; risks to safety during travel and other administrative confusion at banks, and hospitals in daily life, in addition to the other areas mentioned in the paper.

Being required by policy to undergo surgery forces trans persons to weigh the significant disadvantage of having inaccurate documentation against the considerable health risks of genital surgery. This creates significant challenges for transgender individuals to objectively assess the risks of surgery or to consent to surgery in a meaningful manner. 

No one should be coerced into undergoing a major medical procedure in order to fully and safely participate in society. 

Cisgender people who personally know a transgender individual are significantly more likely to support trans-inclusive policies and hold positive views.

A high majority (80.8%) of cisgender respondents agree that medical and surgical care should be made affordable and accessible for transgender people. (Survey sample skews towards those who know a trans person.)

68.3% of cisgender Singaporeans support allowing a change of legal sex without requiring genital surgery or sterilisation. (Survey sample skews towards those who know a trans person.)

Cisgender respondents who know a trans person are more comfortable with transgender individuals serving as educators or colleagues

While cisgender support for trans inclusion is growing, there remains a "invisible" barrier where many are unaware of the specific structural hurdles like the lack of MediSave coverage for GAHT.