Recently, a transmasculine pilot, Adam Harry, was denied permission by regulators in getting a commercial pilot license. Back then, the medical officials claimed that transgender people are ‘unfit for flying a plane.’ However, the Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued new guidelines for aero-medical evaluation for transgender aspirants.

According to the new guidelines, transgender aspirants undertaking initial Class 2 or Class 3 medical examination will be assessed on a ‘case-to-case basis’. This is a massive achievement for the trans community of India.

As per the guidelines issued by the DGCA, trans aspirants who have undergone gender reassignment surgery, or have been taking hormone therapy within the last five years will be screened for their mental health status. Furthermore, aspirants undergoing these processes will be declared medically unfit for at least three months.

Moreover, the guidelines state that the applicant should submit a detailed report from the treating endocrinologist, containing the details of hormone therapy. The report should include information such as duration, dosage, frequency of dosage, changes made, hormone assay reports, side effects, etc.

Additionally, the applicants are asked to submit their ‘Certificate of Identity’ issued by the government, with their gender- Male, Female, or Transgender.

This is a monumental milestone for the LGBTQ+ community in India, and we are waiting for more to come!