This And That In The News – Trans Issues Around The World

"This And That In The News" is about articles in the news that have caught my eye and I want to share or comment about. These are the articles that caught my attention this week.

First stop is over the pond to Ireland…

No timetable for legislation on gender recognition
The Irish Times
By Orla Tinsley
Monday, October 22, 2012

LGBTI RIGHTS: THE GOVERNMENT has no committed time frame to provide legislation for legal recognition of transgender people, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said yesterday.

Speaking at the closing of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (ILGA) European conference in Dublin yesterday, he said the Government was committed to developing legislation for gender recognition but that no time frame for this could be given.

“There is no committed time frame. It’s not a case of putting it off, but I’m not putting a timetable on it.”

Regarding same-sex marriage, Mr Gilmore said he was not disappointed the Taoiseach did not support his views on the topic and that from a Government perspective the issue would be dealt with in the upcoming constitutional convention.

Mr Gilmore is the highest ranking official to give a closing speech in the ILGA conference’s 16-year history. In his speech he praised lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people for their “unique insight” into the importance of human rights.

Sigh… it seems that we are always told, don’t worry we will take care of you and we end up waiting years while LGBT people lose their job or are thrown out of their apartments or discriminated against.

Update 3:20PM: This just in... Ireland’s first ever trans-rights rally took place on Saturday.

Hundreds gather for first trans rights rally
The Daily Shift
Posted by jennyholmes
October 24, 2012

Several hundred people attended the first public trans rally, The Rally for Recognition, which took place outside Dáil Éireann last Saturday.

Activists gathered to mark International Day of Struggle for the Depathologisation of  Trans-Identities, the campaign which demands to have trans recognised as an identity and not as a mental disorder.
[...]
Several speakers called for the removal of the categories of gender dysphoria and gender identity disorders from the medical diagnosis manuals of the World Health Organisation, as well as calling for the provision for trans specific health care.

In the land down-under…

Intersex and trans communities hail Tas Anti-Discrimination bill
Gay News Network
By Serkan Ozturk
October 22, 2012

Intersex and other sex and gender diverse people are celebrating the release of the Tasmanian Government’s proposed amendments to the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act which will provide stronger protection for the transgender community and for the first time anywhere in Australia include specific protections for intersex people.

The move by the Tasmanian Government to provide explicit protection of the LGBTI community is seen as significant with Attorney-General Nicola Roxon currently working on new draft federal anti-discrimination laws.
[…]
“By using the broad and inclusive term ‘transgender’ and by creating the new grounds for discrimination, ‘gender identity’, the government is signalling to transgender people that it considers discrimination against us to be as serious as other forms of bias,” Delaney said.

“Transgender and intersex people are very vulnerable to discrimination and I’m proud Tasmania is leading the world in protecting us from discrimination.”

It seems like Australia is making strides in the right direction. You may remember that in Australia you can get a passport with your gender listed as "X" if you are intersex or if you are trans you can change your gender with a letter from your doctor.

Well it was nice while it lasted…

'Transgender airline' leaves passengers stranded
AOL News
By Roshina Jowaheer
Oct 22, 2012

Just months after Thailand's first transsexual air crew took to the skies with PC Air, the airline has suspended services over financial troubles and has left passengers stranded in South Korea.

Thai Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt told AFP: 'The airline informed the Department of Civil Aviation on Friday that they cannot operate their charter flights due to business problems. So it will suspend its services.'

You may remember the headline about six months ago when there was a big hoopla over the fact that the airline had hired four transgender crew memebers.