When a trans man has his period

Milan Chhetri, a 24-year-old social mobiliser in Nepal, still experiences menstruation, a reality that brings social stigma and practical difficulties in a country where menstrual health systems are built exclusively around women. Milan recalls his first period at age 12, which forced him into traditional seclusion, separating him from male family members. This experience, coupled with the difficulty of obtaining menstrual products as a man and past negative encounters with healthcare providers, has led him to manage his periods discreetly and often alone.

He avoids traditional menstrual huts, opting instead for invisibility. This struggle highlights a broader issue in Nepal, a country legally recognized transgender identities in 2007. Despite its progressive stance on gender identity, the nation's menstrual health infrastructure, from rural programs to school lessons and clinical care, operates under the assumption that menstruation is solely a female experience. This oversight effectively renders transgender men invisible within the system.

“

In our village, menstruating people are kept away from many activities. Sometimes you are stopped from walking on certain paths if elderly people are nearby.

Further illustrating this gap, Nishant Jha in Janakpur began hormone therapy in 2013 to align his body with his identity. While the testosterone injections helped stop his periods and induced physical changes like a deeper voice and beard, he lacked proper medical monitoring. A friend sourced the hormones, and a local doctor administered them without prescription or follow-up. The cost of a comprehensive check-up in Kathmandu, around Rs15,000 to Rs16,000, was prohibitive, leading him to discontinue the treatment, prioritizing his desired physical changes over potential health risks.

Both Milan's and Nishant's experiences underscore the critical need for inclusive menstrual health services and gender-affirming care in Nepal. While the country has made strides in legal recognition for transgender individuals, its healthcare and social systems have yet to fully adapt to the diverse realities of gender identity, leaving many trans men navigating their health needs in isolation and facing significant societal barriers.

“

I didn’t think about side effects or how it would affect my physical health. I just wanted to change my body to the way I felt about it.