Physical ‘sex’ of a person is usually assigned at birth, based on external appearance by parents and the physician. On the other hand, the word ‘Gender’ refers to our innate sense of being a man/ woman/ some other or someone in between. Normally, one’s physical sex and ‘gender’ are in alignment. In a few individuals, there is a noticeable and persistent incongruence between ‘sex’ and ‘gender identity’ to an extent, that the individuals wish to get rid of their primary and/or secondary sexual characteristics and acquire the physical/ phenotypic characteristics of a gender, which is different from that of assigned (birth) sex/ gender. The inherent need by these persons to express their perceived gender, their longing for the society to accept them in this role, and their negative treatment by the society gives rise to a deep- seated distress. This phenomenon was classified as Gender Dysphoria (GD) in DSM- V and Gender Incongruence as per ICD-11. Many such individuals feel that they are trapped in the wrong sex body and wish to transition to a body congruent with their gender identity and expression. Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh has physicians experienced in gender affirmative care and a multi-speciality gender affirmation clinic treating a large number of transitioning individuals, which has been providing gender sensitive and affirmative care to these individuals since a long time. The clinic provides mental health services, endocrine (hormone) care, and affirmative surgical care, which includes-

1. Male to female core surgeries for AMAB (assigned male at birth) individuals- Breast augmentation, feminizing genitoplasty, which includes vaginoplasty, labiaplasty, clitoroplasty, vestibuloplasty, feminizing urethroplasty, orchidectomy and penectomy. Vaginoplasty can be done by modified penile inversion, lap sigmoid, robotic sigmoid and robotic peritoneal methods.
2. Female to male core surgeries for AFAB (assigned female at birth) individuals- Top surgery (bilateral breast reduction), surgery for removal of female internal organs such as uterus, tubes, ovaries, vagina and labia, perineal closure, reconstruction of penis and scrotum and urethra, metaidoioplasty, penile and testicular implants.
3. Ancillary surgical procedures for either AMAB of AFAB individuals- Facial harmonization surgery, which includes facial feminization or masculinization, affirmative voice surgery, thyroid chondroplasty, hair transplants, forehead reduction, rhinoplasty, body contouring, lipoplasty, pectoral/ calf and gluteal implants, gynecological care, genital surgery including phalloplasty and vaginoplasty by various methods etc.
4. Non- binary affirmative procedures for gender incongruent TGD (transgender and gender diverse individuals- Nullification, orchidectome, penectomy, scrotectomy, vaginoplasty without penectomy, phalloplasty without vaginectomy, non- binary breast/ chest surgery etc.

The clinic adheres to standards of care for transitioning individuals as published by World Professional association for Transgender health (WPATH- SOCs 7th and 8th)) as well as Indian Professional Association for Transgender Health (IPATH- ISOC-1) and has an excellent track record in helping thousands of gender incongruent individuals in their enduring and arduous journey of transition to gender congruence