Before I get shouted at 4 breaking forum rules on here... its the most appropriate place for it and bears the most relevance for Trans members, so it'd be done more justice being here than in chat etc.
Basically this message is going round from Christie Elan-Cane of Press For Change (PFC) - if you've not heard of them, they are basically a Trans Rights group. Anyhow here's the message for you to make ur own mind up about...
"Dear All
As you are most probably aware, my local parliamentary representative Simon Hughes MP is drafting proposed new legislation that will grant certain rights to individuals who do not identify as male or female and for whom compulsory gendered categorisation into the societal gender system is not appropriate.
The purpose of legislation is to accord legal recognition for identities other than male and female. The outcome of legal recognition of existence outside the gendered societal system will be that we will finally be accorded the basic human right to be acknowledged and registered in our true identity. This will result in greater social recognition and strengthen our position when exposed to discrimination and oppression from the gendered majority.
The proposed legislation will initially state the case for necessity of provision of an alternative option alongside male and female in sex/gender field on forms for application and registration, such as passport application, the Census etc. We are presenting the case for a third option of 'non gender-specific', 'gender not specified' or 'other' on all forms.
In order for the legislation to have any chance of succeeding in early stages of procession through parliament, it is vital that we can demonstrate a strong social need for recognition of identities that have until now been unrecognised by law in all western countries and ignored by gendered society.
*This is where I need the help and support of EVERY resident in the UK who does not identify as male or female and for whom the options of male and female provided by gendered society are irrelevant, inadequate and insulting.*
I am appealing to hear from everyone who is affected by this issue and who is currently forced to deny and/or compromise their identity when presented with the question of stating their sex/gender in order to obtain a passport, driver's licence or any other documentation or service where a gendered role is demanded before the individual can access a service or obtain necessary documentation in order for the individual to function within society.
I am collecting as many names as possible that will be forwarded to Simon Hughes' parliamentary office. The details will be used to petition support for this fundamental human rights issue.
Please send an email to my address Christie.Elan-Cane@ukgateway.net with *I SUPPORT NON GENDER-SPECIFIC OPTION* in the subject line. Give your full name and preferably a full address in the United Kingdom where you are resident. If you would rather not provide address details, write anyway with just your name but responses with a valid UK address should carry more weight if used to petition support from other ministers. Please do not send any attachment documents with your email.
*A request to organisations in UK and outside the UK*: please put a notice on your own website to alert as many people as possible. I also request that everyone who feels strongly about this issue lobbies their own local parliamentary representative and urges them to support this action.
Once more, thanks to everyone who has expressed their support so far and I promise to keep you updated with progress. You can also view my website at http://elancane.livejournal.com.
Regards
Christie Elan-Cane"
__________________
Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
Fair enough. Anyhow, if ur in agreement that there should be a gender not specified option please support this.
For those of you who aren't Trans, its basically gonna b a huge step forward for Trans rights, if it happens. Generally cos theres only 2 recognised genders on pretty much all forms & government crap, male or female... e.g if you were born female but the outside really doesn't match the inside but you've not started or undergone gender reassignment surgery you can't get a gender recognition certificate granting you legal recognition as being male, you'd still be forced to tick the female box for everything even though you weren't.
Bear in mind that anyone wishing to undergo gender reassignment has to wait at least 2years for an appointment at a gender clinic before the whole process even starts, once you've had that appointment you then have to undergo the real-life test of living as your true gender for another 2years before any surgery will be considered. Could or would you be happy with legally having to apply for stuff and register for things as the gender you really weren't? Or would you prefer to have the choice of an opt-out of specifying gender?
If the answer to those 2 questions are No/not really, and yes. Please take the whole 2 minutes just to contact Press For Change with your support.
__________________
Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
Bear in mind that anyone wishing to undergo gender reassignment has to wait at least 2years for an appointment at a gender clinic before the whole process even starts, once you've had that appointment you then have to undergo the real-life test of living as your true gender for another 2years before any surgery will be considered.
Not wholly true. I was referred to the Leeds gender clinic in February and my first appointment's in November; it would have been in August if I'd been able to attend. Hardly speedy, but not two years. And I believe the London Charing Cross clinic can see clients in a matter of weeks. Also, whilst one can only get surgery after two years in the service, you can get hormones after six months, which make quite a difference in passing.
Nevertheless, I do support this. It's only a minor hardship for me having to grit my teeth and constantly lie on forms, as it's merely temporary, but it's not right to ignore the many people who identify outside the gender binary.
Glad to hear you've got your appointment btw tim, that'll be lush! The waiting lists can be huge though. Too, anyone can be seen instantly too providing they have the dollar!
An important factor here is that of litereally non-male and non-female people who's biological sex IS xxy, or xyy or other variations with which they comfortably identify as their gender. Who by law are not allowed to be truthful but are forced to call themselves man or woman.
It's a total postcode lottery. Yorkshire's notoriously bad - you're fine in the city, but the regional PCTs are crap about funding. Some poor woman in Calderdale had to wait five years. And I've got a mate in Essex whose local care trust won't pay for him to go to a clinic until he's 25, for no good reason that I can see. Private is dead speedy, but costs a ton.
But that's a different subject altogether. Good point about the intersexed people, too. Many of them do identify within the gender binary, but many don't, and it's certainly true that it might be awkward being forced to pick a sex if your biology has aspects of both.
I think for a lot of people, non-binary gender is a social construct but they observe the law to be more reflective of the binary of biological sex as taught at school... but the fact that there IS intersexed folk just proves that biological sex is as complex and non binary as genders people call themselves. The law regarding gender is therefore, nothing more than A social construct, but one which pretends not to be and is thereby restrictive.
It's interesting that someone who's intersexed may be able to get genital surgery a lot quicker than a trans person, but are less likely to have as much personal care because rather than questions like "are you ready?"... it's assumed that "of course you're ready" and it's seen as a disorder that needs fixing, rather than sexual reassignment surgery when the procedures can be very similar indeed.
Nic im in support if a non gender specific option however i must say the two years that someone has to spend living the life of the gender they wish to be assigned is important some confused individuals may have not considered what gender re alignment surgery/therapy entails and could really desire just to live as a woman or man without the treatments. there have been cases where men have recived treatment to become women and then wanted to go back which is why the guidelines were implimented.
Yeah theres always gonna b them. I can see why the guidelines are there.
Cheers for clearing that info up Tim, I just got it from a mate I know who had 2 wait 2yrs round Leeds for their appointment at the clinic. Glad u've got a date sorted n all :o)
__________________
Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
