T*

Sex and gender diverse community rights

The Australia Human Rights Commission has launched a "sex and gender diversity forum" to canvass the views and experiences of the sex and gender diverse community. In Australia transsexuals must divorce their partners, regardless of the state of the relationship, and undergo elective surgery before documentation will be re-issued to match new circumstances.

While it is easy to focus on the mechanics around legislation, paperwork and bureaucracy. The Sydney Morning Herald today has a great long article, Love triumphs across the line that looks at the human face of the issue. Life partners openly discuss the requirement to lie and cite 'irreconciliable differences'. A FTM transsexual sets out plainly the outrageous case for requiring him to have a hysterectomy, putting unnecessary strain on the individual and the State for non-essential surgery.

In an age where divorce rates are high as it is, how bonkers is it for governments to demand that certain life partners lie and denounce their relationships just for the sake of procedure. Trannies have always been a thorn in the side of anyone who believes in that rubbish about 'marriage is solely between a man and a woman'. Sex and gender has never neatly fitted into boxes. Yet for us married trannies in long term relationships it is comforting to see our situation and views highlighted in the mainstream press.

The human rights violations that occur daily through petty officialdom may be going under the microscope in Australia but the situation is bleaker in other countries. The Aussie Human Rights Commission have gone out of their way to get consultation and feedback in the lead up to launching this forum. It is heartening to see some of my suggestions incorporated in the wording. Do not be backwards about making your views and experiences known.

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/genderdiversity