New Zealand Transgender Inquiry Report.

Recently I attended the latest meeting for the Transgender Inquiry, run by the Human Rights Commission.  I’ve attended several other fairly highly-charged meetings where emotions ran hot. Transgender people and allies rarely have a forum like this to air our grievances and it shows. (We do air good things too, but there are usually more grievances than good things.)

Forums where transgender issues are discussed by transgender people can bring out some prejudices too. Like a relative of mine who married a European immigrant but never ceased to rail against Asian immigrants, we can’t always see when we are attacking ourselves by trying to raise standards.  Some trans people strongly believe boundary-pushers like Thomas Beatie are making us all look like freaks. (I personally will always support trailblazers like this.)

The Action list in the back of the report is a few pages long. It’s been split into 5 areas for immediate action, which I will repeat here so it has a permanent home:

• increasing participation of trans people in decisions that affect them
• strengthening the legal protections making discrimination against trans people unlawful
• improving access to health services, including gender reassignment services
• simplifying requirements for change of sex details on a birth certificate, passport and other documents
• giving urgent attention to the significant human rights issues experienced by intersex people

My submission was a description of my involvement with various medical and government organisations and the effect of this on my health and wellbeing. I had a rant, but a focused one. And yes, I read through the Inquiry Report looking for my quotes as well as reading it.

I was fairly sceptical when this process started, not being a big fan of government organisations. But I’m pleased with the work the Human Rights Commission have done and hope to have more time to contribute in the new year.