TENI

16 JUN 2015

Senator Van Turnhout Calls for Interim Gender Recognition Certificate to Protect Trans Young People

Tuesday 16th June, children’s rights activist Senator Jillian van Turnhout called on the Government to provide an Interim Gender Recognition Certificate for trans children under 16 who seek it and where there is parental consent.

"TENI warmly welcomes Senator Van Turnhout's proposal of an Interim Gender Recognition Certificate for young trans people," said TENI Chief Executive Broden Giambrone.

The Interim Certificate would promote and protect the rights and best interests of trans children and facilitate the gathering of evidence around models of best practice for a permanent arrangement, in the period before the issue is revisited in the two year review of the gender recognition legislation.

“I cannot sit silently by as we tell trans children and young people to sit in the corner and wait for their rights to be upheld, maybe, at some point down the road,” said Senator van Turnhout this morning.

The Gender Recognition Bill is poised to become one of the most progressive bills in the world and the Government has taken great strides to protect and vindicate the rights of trans people in Ireland through a model of self-determination for individuals over 18 years of age.

“Young people use their birth certificate regularly when enrolling in school and college or participating in sports. The birth certificate is linked to class roll call and the CAO process. For this reason, legal recognition is critical to these young people’s daily lives,” said TENI Chief Executive Broden Giambrone.

“As a children’s rights activist I am profoundly disappointed that children under the age of 16, and given the onerousness of the process for 16-18 year olds we can say in effect ALL children, have been excluded from the provisions of the Gender Recognition Bill 2014, which enables a person to apply for formal legal recognition of their preferred gender,” said Senator van Turnhout.  “I believe the new children’s rights article in the Constitution makes it incumbent on the Oireachtas, in any legislation directly impacting the lives of children, to ensure the best interests of the child are the paramount consideration; the views of the child are heard when key decisions are made about their lives; and the evolving capacity of the child is facilitated.”

The inability for young trans people to be legally recognised in their true gender means that they are constantly at risk of being outed [their trans status disclosed] which can lead to bullying, harassment and even violence. Lack of legal recognition also fails to acknowledge a core element of these young people’s identities which can exacerbate feelings of stigmatisation, isolation and exclusion.

“The interim Gender Recognition certificate is a viable solution to the exclusion of young trans people. We applaud Senator Van Turnhout for striving to protect the best interests of our young people. We urge the Government to adopt this practical approach.”

For more information please contact Broden Giambrone at 087 135 9816 or office@teni.ie.

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