Potilasyhdistys
Trasek ry

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English page

This is the website of Potilasyhdistys Trasek ry or Trasek for short. It is a Finnish association for transgender and intersexual individuals and their loved ones. Trasek advocates both human rights and anti discrimination as well as proper medical care for transgender and intersexual individuals.

Finland legally recognises the gender of a transsexual provided that the person in question fulfils certain criteria laid down in the Transgender Act. An unofficial translation of the act is provided below:

Transgender Act

Medical care of transsexuals follows the guidelines set in the WPATH Standards of Care. Core services are provided by the National Public Health System. Care is based on two Transgender Health Programs one at the Helsinki University Hospital and one at the Tampere University Hospital. This is based on a decree by the Ministry of Health and Social Security. An unofficial translation is provided below:

Transgender Decree

The medical care of intersexual individuals is not as well organised as that for transsexuals. It is more left to the individual health care professionals to decide together with the patient or in case of minors, with parents, what action to take. The same goes for transgender individuals that are not diagnosed as transsexuals and transgender minors.

If you are a resident in Finland and want to start gender reassignment process you should ask your doctor to refer you to one of the University Hospitals depending on you place of residence. You should take the note written in Finnish with you when visiting you doctor. The note explains the procedure and should make it easier for the doctor to write the necessary referral. Any doctor can refer you.

How to refer a patient to gender identity examination (In Finnish)

There is a transgender support center Transtukipiste in Helsinki that is run by Seta the national LGBT association. Transtukipiste is financed by the state. Transtukipiste can offer limited services also in English. They can be contacted by phone or by e-mail. Transtukipiste runs a number of peer support groups. Some groups are arranged by local Seta chapters as well.

Transtukipiste contacts (in Finnish, but you should be able to figure out names, numbers and e-mail addresses)

There is a national transvestite association Dreamwear Club or DwC for short. DwC has bimonthly meetings in the premises of Transtukipiste in Helsinki. DwC can be reached through their web site:

DwC contact information

Finally you can contact us by email hallitus ( at ) trasek (dot) net