IDAHOBIT – Distance To Travel on Trans Issues.
TransGender Victoria has called on governments to acknowledge the massive loss of human potential and community capacity caused by transphobia on IDAHOBIT 2013 (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia) and has urged federal parliament to move quickly to pass the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013.
“The loss is experienced on so many levels by both individuals and society, is totally needless and the impacts are broad,” said TransGender Victoria spokesperson Sally Goldner.
There have been 1100 transphobic murders since 2009 according to Transgender Europe’s ‘Trans Murder Monitoring’ project and an American survey in 2011 of 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming people showed 41% of respondents reported having attempted suicide.
Ms Goldner continued, “the costs to society of homelessness, poor health, unemployment and under-employment of trans* people and the resulting loss of trans* peoples’ potential are immense. Multiply this impact onto families, friends, loved ones of trans* and gender diverse people and watch the human and economic costs soar further.”
“TransGender Victoria also believes, based on estimated numbers of trans* people, that many trans* and gender diverse people are still trapped in the closet due to fear of family and community rejection,” said Ms Goldner.
“Other issues faced by trans* people include negative impacts on their health and self-esteem by being excluded from competing in sport due to discriminatory laws, the financial and emotional cost of ‘forced trans* divorce’ due to marriage inequality and the negatives caused by not having ID that matches your lived gender or paperwork that fails to recognise all gender identities.”
“On the positive side, if every trans* person was able to achieve the their full potential as demonstrated by the genius of film-maker Lana Wachowski or current Polish MP Anna Grodzka, the differences to our world could be huge,” said Ms Goldner.
TransGender Victoria urges governments to recognise the positive shift in societal attitudes towards the trans* and gender diverse community and act quickly to implement the Sex Files Report (2009) and pass (as an interim step,) the amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act to provide protection on the basis of gender identity.
“We call for an end to homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and prejudice against intersex people, so all our communities can reach their full potential,” Ms Goldner said.
For more information please phone Sally Goldner on 0407 946 242.
“The loss is experienced on so many levels by both individuals and society, is totally needless and the impacts are broad,” said TransGender Victoria spokesperson Sally Goldner.
There have been 1100 transphobic murders since 2009 according to Transgender Europe’s ‘Trans Murder Monitoring’ project and an American survey in 2011 of 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming people showed 41% of respondents reported having attempted suicide.
Ms Goldner continued, “the costs to society of homelessness, poor health, unemployment and under-employment of trans* people and the resulting loss of trans* peoples’ potential are immense. Multiply this impact onto families, friends, loved ones of trans* and gender diverse people and watch the human and economic costs soar further.”
“TransGender Victoria also believes, based on estimated numbers of trans* people, that many trans* and gender diverse people are still trapped in the closet due to fear of family and community rejection,” said Ms Goldner.
“Other issues faced by trans* people include negative impacts on their health and self-esteem by being excluded from competing in sport due to discriminatory laws, the financial and emotional cost of ‘forced trans* divorce’ due to marriage inequality and the negatives caused by not having ID that matches your lived gender or paperwork that fails to recognise all gender identities.”
“On the positive side, if every trans* person was able to achieve the their full potential as demonstrated by the genius of film-maker Lana Wachowski or current Polish MP Anna Grodzka, the differences to our world could be huge,” said Ms Goldner.
TransGender Victoria urges governments to recognise the positive shift in societal attitudes towards the trans* and gender diverse community and act quickly to implement the Sex Files Report (2009) and pass (as an interim step,) the amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act to provide protection on the basis of gender identity.
“We call for an end to homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and prejudice against intersex people, so all our communities can reach their full potential,” Ms Goldner said.
For more information please phone Sally Goldner on 0407 946 242.
