09 FEB 2016
Trans Manifesto - General Election 2016
During this General Election politicians will be knocking on doors and canvassing for your vote. We encourage you to speak to the candidates and ask them about their position on key trans rights issues. This is an opportunity to put trans rights on the political agenda!
You can ask candidates for their position on these three important questions:
1) Will you support amending the Gender Recognition Act to meaningfully include young people under 18, non-binary identities and Intersex people?
2) Will you enact hate crime legislation to protect Ireland’s most vulnerable citizens?
3) Will you support the allocation of funding to the HSE to ensure the appropriate delivery of trans healthcare and transition-related services?
Trans Manifesto Trans Rights – Let’s Keep the Momentum Going!
Over the past several years we have seen great strides for the trans community in terms of visibility and understanding. There has been demonstrable progress in the areas of health, employment and education.
The passage of the Gender Recognition Act in July 2015 was an incredible moment in the history of trans rights in Ireland. The new law provides a quick and transparent process for individuals who are over eighteen to selfdetermine their own gender. This was symbolically important as it marked the first time that the State recognised the existence of trans people.
However, we still have a ways to go to achieve full rights and equality. Trans people still face high levels of discrimination, violence and stigmatisation. Our community still struggles at work, in school and at home. We still face barriers to appropriate and accessible healthcare.
The General Election presents an opportunity to ensure that the new Government will work to enable trans people to become equal citizens. We ask the new Government to issue a renewed commitment to promoting and enshrining the rights of trans people in law and policy.
TENI has identified five key areas that will promote the rights and equality of trans people in Ireland and ensure that our society is fair, compassionate and just.
1. Recognise All Trans and Intersex Identities
Legal recognition is a cornerstone of identity. The Gender Recognition Act should be expanded to meaningfully include young trans, intersex and non-binary identities.
The Government should:
• Conduct a comprehensive review of the Gender Recognition Act, as stipulated in the two-year review clause, and in conjunction with the trans community and key stakeholders.
• Amend legislation to ensure that trans people who are 16 & 17 years of age will have the ability to selfdetermine their own legal gender identity.
• Ensure that trans young people under 16 are provided a pathway for legal recognition.
• Ensure intersex and non-binary persons are afforded explicit legal recognition
2. Amend Equality Legislation
Trans people often face discrimination in their daily lives yet lack explicit protection under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and Equal Status Act 2000. While these Acts have been interpreted to cover trans people in certain circumstances under the grounds of gender and disability, they are insufficient to properly protect the rights of all trans individuals in Ireland.
The Government should:
• Amend equality legislation to explicitly include protection of trans people on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.
• Amend equality legislation to explicitly include protection of intersex people on the basis of sex characteristics.
3. Introduce Hate Crime Legislation
Trans people are often targeted for violence, abuse and harassment as a result of their gender identity or expression.
The Government should:
• Introduce comprehensive hate crime legislation and ensure the protection of individuals based on gender identity and gender expression.
4. Facilitate Supportive Schools
Trans young people are vulnerable in schools and require support and understanding in the classroom. These young people often experience transphobic bullying, exclusion and stigmatisation as a result of their identity.
The Government should:
• Issue clear guidelines to support trans young people in the education system.
• Take concrete measures to address and combat homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools.
5. Promote Trans Sensitive Healthcare
Trans people face barriers to accessing healthcare and lack clear transition pathways. The trans community experiences high levels of poor mental health, self-harm and suicidality.
The Government should:
• Allocate funding to the HSE to ensure the appropriate delivery of trans healthcare and transition-related services.
• Adopt a best-practice Model of Care for trans adults and young people.
• Ensure the development of regional healthcare services for trans people.
• Support trans inclusive mental health and suicide prevention services and campaigns.
• Work towards the de-pathologisation of trans identities.
Shortcut http://www.teni.ie/trans_manifesto___general_election_2016