Pressemappe - Transgender.at
Transcrição
Pressemappe - Transgender.at
Pressemappe First European TransGender Council Erste europäische TransGenderRatsversammlung 3. bis 6. November 2005, Wien, Rathaus TransX - Verein für TransGender-Personen Wiener Antidiskriminierungsstelle für gleichgeschlechtliche Lebensweisen Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 1 von 17 Erste europäische TransGender-Ratsversammlung, 3. bis 6. November 2005, Wien, Rathaus „Schluss mit dem Operationszwang!“ Betroffene aus mehr als 20 Ländern organisieren sich gegen sexistische Strukturen, diskriminierende Körperpolitik und brutale Eingriffe ins Persönlichkeitsrecht: beim Ersten Europäischen TransGender-Rat in Wien (3. - 6. Nov. 2005) „Wir haben es satt, aufgrund unserer geschlechtlichen Identität lächerlich gemacht, diskriminiert und diffamiert zu werden. Wir haben es satt, der Willkür von Bürokraten und der Ahnungslosigkeit der Gesetzgeber ausgeliefert zu sein. Wir haben es satt, aufwendige Zwangstherapien und Operationen über uns ergehen lassen zu müssen, nur um sein zu dürfen was wir sind. Wir haben es satt - und darüber wollen wir reden und dagegen wollen wir etwas tun!“ Nicht zum ersten Mal werden Anklagen gegen die rückständige Körperpolitik vieler - fast aller - Staaten Europas erhoben, aber noch nie in so konzentrierter Form wie diesmal, bei der Ersten Europäischen TransGender-Ratsversammlung in Wien. Betroffene aus rund dreißig Ländern, von Portugal bis Russland, von Island bis zur Türkei, versammeln sich von 3. bis 6. November im Wiener Rathaus, um der staatlichen und alltäglichen Diskriminierung sogenannter TransGender-Personen ein Ende zu bereiten. TransGenders, also Menschen mit einer von der Körperbiologie abweichenden Identität, haben es im Europa von heute nicht leicht. Anders als in vielen außereuropäischen und archaischen Kulturen gilt die Abweichung vom männlich/weiblichen GeschlechterStereotyp als Verstoß gegen eine Norm, die in den westlichen Industriestaaten umso hartnäckiger aufrecht erhalten wird, je weniger sie modernen Erkenntnissen der Medizin, Biologie und der interdisziplinären Geschlechterforschung entspricht. „Geschlechtsidentität darf kein Grund zur Diskriminierung und zur Verweigerung politischer Rechte sein“, formulieren es die AktivistInnen vom Wiener Verein TransX : „Um ihr selbstbestimmtes Geschlecht leben zu können, werden nicht nur in Österreich Menschen, die sich der quasi naturgegebenen Geschlechtszuordnung widersetzen, zu Operationen gezwungen. Schon allein zur Annahme eines passenden Vornamens müssen sie sich oft der Psychiatrie, öffentlichen Gerichtsverfahren und Operationen unterwerfen.“ Doch selbst nachdem sich TransGender allen erdenklichen „geschlechtsanpassenden“ Operationen unterzogen haben, können sie sich in manchen Ländern nicht sicher sein, dass ihr gelebtes Geschlecht anerkannt wird oder dass sie ihr ursprüngliches Geschlecht nicht immer wieder preisgeben müssen: „Diese peinliche Offenlegung der Intimsphäre ist längst nicht mehr notwendig“, beklagt TransX – Sprecherin und Buchautorin Eva Fels („Auf der Suche nach dem dritten Geschlecht“) massive Eingriffe in die Persönlichkeits- und Menschenrechte der Betroffenen. Selbsthilfegruppen in ganz Europa rebellieren dagegen. Und es gibt auch bereits einige mühsam errungene Erfolge. Eva Fels: „In einigen europäischen Ländern kann man schon ab Beginn des sogenannten Alltagstests mit passendem Vornamen und adäquaten Dokumenten leben. In manchen Staaten, wie in Großbritannien, wird nun auch unabhängig von Operationen die Geburtsurkunde geändert Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 2 von 17 und es genügt eine psychologische Begutachtung. In Irland und Portugal dagegen kann selbst nach geschlechtsanpassenden Operationen der Personenstand nicht geändert werden.“ Trotzdem: „Ein neues Jahrzehnt für TransGenders!“ postulieren die AktivistInnen. Und um das allzu dröge Fortschrittstempo in den Amtsstuben und gesetzgebenden Körperschaften zu beschleunigen, kommt auf das Wiener Vernetzungstreffen mit seiner Forderung nach „gemeinsamer politischer Arbeit über alle Grenzen hinweg“ einiges an Arbeit zu. Ziele des Treffens, von der Antidiskriminierungsstelle der Stadt Wien unterstützt wird, sind unter anderem: • • • • • Europaweiter Erfahrungsaustausch Länderspezifische Dokumentation zur sozialen und rechtlichen Lage Zusammenstellung von Forderungen der teilnehmenden Gruppen Formulierung und Abstimmung gemeinsamer Forderungen Abklärung europaweiter politischer Aktivitäten Dazu kommen Rahmenprogramme wie das Gastspiel der durch den Film VenuzBoys „kultig“ gewordenen Kingz of Berlin bei TransMission, dem 10-Jahresfest von TransX im Wiener Szenelokal Andino (5. November), ein Auftritt der Diseuse Lucy McEvil ebendort und eine Fotoausstellung im Rathaus. Wie das Fest TransMission wird auch ein Vortrag des bekannten US-Queer-Aktivisten Patrick Califia am 5. November und die Präsentation der Kongressergebnisse am Nachmittag des 6. November öffentlich sein. Zu welchen Ergebnissen der Rat kommen wird, zeichnet sich nach den Vorbereitungen schon ab. TransX-Sprecherin Eva Fels: „Im Sommer haben wir alle teilnehmenden Gruppen gebeten, ihre wichtigsten Forderungen einzubringen. Wir waren überrascht, dass trotz sehr unterschiedlicher rechtlicher und sozialer Bedingungen weitgehende Übereinstimmung besteht. Auf den Punkt gebracht: Anerkennung. Wir wollen Anerkennung unseres eigenen Geschlechts ohne Operationszwang und staatlichen Geschlechtsterror. Genauso wie früher die Nennung von Rasse und Religion in den Ausweispapieren dokumentiert hat, worauf es bei der Unterscheidung von Menschen ankam, tut das heute noch die Nennung des Geschlechts. Der Staat soll uns ungeachtet unserer Herkunft, Religion und unseres Geschlechtes behandeln. Wir fordern die Anerkennung unserer selbst bestimmten Geschlechtlichkeit ohne Diskriminierung und Diskreditierung. Auch wenn TransGenders in vielen Ländern zu schwach sind, um etwas zu verändern: Gemeinsam haben wir die besseren Chancen, diesen sexistischen Strukturen etwas entgegen zu setzen.“ Aktuelle Informationen: http://tgeu.net (Englisch) Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 3 von 17 Facts & Figures Zur Teilnahme an der Ersten Europäischen TransGender Ratsversammlung (3. bis 6. November 2005) in Wien werden über 120 TransGender-Aktivisten und -Aktivistinnen aus ganz Europa erwartet. Sie repräsentieren rund 60 Gruppen und Organisationen. Dabei werden nicht nur westeuropäische Länder vertreten sein, in denen TransGender-Initiativen schon seit Jahren existieren. Erstmals in einem solchen Rahmen werden sich auch Gruppen aus Russland, der Türkei, von einzelnen Balkanstaaten und den sogenannten „neuen“ EU-Mitgliedsstaaten zu Wort melden. Stichwort TransGender TransGender-Personen sind Menschen, die aus den verschiedensten Motiven Geschlechtsgrenzen überschreiten. Einige gehen den „klassischen transsexuellen“ Weg, der mit einer gegengeschlechtlichen Hormontherapie und geschlechtsangleichenden Operationen verbunden ist. Die meisten leben vorübergehend oder kontinuierlich im „anderen“ Geschlecht, ohne über das für sie essentielle notwendige Maß körperlicher Anpassungen hinauszugehen. Das Spannungsfeld zwischen sozialem Umfeld, medizinischer Unterstützung und staatlicher Anerkennung der eigenen Identität gestaltet sich für TransGender-Personen innerhalb der europäischen Union sehr unterschiedlich. Manche Staaten - wie etwa Ungarn - verlangen für die rechtliche Anerkennung des Identitätsgeschlechts lediglich einen psychiatrischen Befund. In Großbritannien wird darüber hinaus eine zweijährige Lebenspraxis im anzuerkennenden Geschlecht verlangt. In den meisten Staaten Westeuropas können die Dokumente nur geändert werden, wenn sich die Betroffenen nach Therapien auch einer Reihe von geschlechtsanpassenden Operationen unterziehen. Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland fordert darüber hinaus explizit die Sterilität ein. In Irland und Portugal ist eine rechtliche Anerkennung des neue Geschlecht unter keinen Umständen möglich. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 5 von 17 Das Programm der Ersten Europäischen TransGender Ratsversamlung Donnerstag, 3. November 10:30 Pressekonferenz 18:00 Registrierung und Get-In-Touch-Meeting. Freitag, 4. November 09:00 Eröffnung 09:30 Vortrag Stephen Whittle, Press for Change (GB): TransGender und die EU: gesetzliche Lage, Menschenrechte, Direktiven, Gesetze und Beschlüsse 10:30 Kaffeepause 11:00 Vorträge von Joanne Sinclair, TNUKdigest (GB) und Simona Vivaldo, trans-european.org. (I): TransGender in Europa: Vergleich von Gesetzen, Rechtssprechung und der gesellschaftlichen Lage 12:00 Organisatorisches: Zum weiteren Ablauf der Tagung 12:30 Mittagspause 14:00 Kurzpräsentationen: Spotlights auf die TransGender-Politik Gesetzgebung in Spanien und Belgien / Zur Situation in Russland / TransGender-Jugendliche / Zur Situation in Portugal / Geschlechtswechsel am Arbeitsplatz 16:30 Kaffeepause 17:00 Offenes Forum: Gruppenpräsentationen 19:00 Ende des ersten Tages im Rathaus 20:00 Gemütliches Treffen bei einem Sieveringer Heurigen Samstag, 5. November 09:00 Podiums-Diskussion: TransGender-Bewegung und Strategien Teilnehmer: Armand Hotimsky (FR), Eva Fels (A), Alex Moro (I). Moderation: Justus Eisfeld (B) 11:00 Kaffeepause 11:30 Kurzpräsentation von Jo, TransX (A): Zum Aufbau vernetzter Strukturen 12:00 Kurzpräsentation von Eva Fels, TransX (A): TransGender Politik - Unsere Forderungen 12:30 Mittagspause 13:30 Arbeitsgruppen: Formulierung von Zielen und Forderungen 16:00 Kaffeepause 16:30 Präsentation der Ergebnisse der Arbeitsgruppen und Abstimmung 18:00 Ende des zweiten Tages im Rathaus 20:00 Referat von Patrick Califia: Zur Politik des TransGenderismus 21:00 TransMission: 10-Jahre-TransX Jubiläumsparty. Mit Lucy McEvil und den Kingz of Berlin Sonntag, 6. November 11:00 Brunch 12:30 Bekanntgabe der Abstimmungsergebnisse 13:00 Podiums-Diskussion: Aussichten und Pläne 14:00 Kaffeepause 14:30 Öffentliche Präsentation der Ergebnisse der Ersten Europäischen TransGender-Ratsversammlung 16:00 Ende der Veranstaltung Aktuelle und ausführlichere Programm-Informationen: http://tgeu.net -> [Program] Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 6 von 17 Kurzfassungen der Referate Trans People: Our Welcome in Europe Stephen Whittle, Press for Change, Great Britain I will review the the current legal and social positions of trans people as European Community citizens. I will address the inter-state complexities and legal lack of knowledge as it relates to many trans people‘s lives, in particular how current national laws contradict many of the main rights of being a European Community citizen, causing conflict and uncertainty in the day to day lives of transgender and transsexual people. I will point out some of the areas of law for where it not only needs clarifying, but in which we need to be campaigning to make sure it is both know and acted upon. A Comparison of European Transgender Laws taking into account Cultural and Social influences and National Legal and Medical Requirements Joanne Sinclair, TNUKdigest, Great Britain A comparative examination of the legal, medical and social issues affecting trans people. This will include, the right to adopt a name reflecting the desired gender. The comparative procedures for a change of civil status and the safeguards for data protection and confidentiality. The availability of sex affirmation surgery and associated surgeries such as Facial Feminisation surgery together with the availability of hormonal treatment and the funding of such provisions. The Europe-wide social attitudes towards trans people, including discrimination in the work-place and in the field of the provision of goods and services. The security of trans people in employment, education and training, particularly in the early stages of transition. The relationship of discrimination in these areas and the numbers working in the sex industry. The frequency of violence and discrimination in public and the family. The requirement in some states for divorce prior to sex affirmation surgery. Are Civil Unions an inferior status to marriage. Should not Civil Marriage be open to all? The emphasis on infertility in some countries given the technology to preserve genetic material prior to hormone treatment. The necessity to appreciate that increasing medical knowledge firmly places Transsexuality within the definition of Intersex. More important is the extension of categories within Discrimination Law particularly helpful? Is it not more important to have a constitutionally embedded requirement for non discrimination in general? Also the need for a Human Right to Bodily Integrity. Can we learn anything in Europe from the United States developing „Queer Theory“ which enables fluidity of movement between genders, what I have called „Flexigender“, and which allows us to concentrate on the person and not what they are? Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 7 von 17 First law on transsexuality in Belgium: a bridge too far? Joz Motmans, Policy Research Centre on Equal opportunities (university of Antwerp) & Genderactiongroup, Belgium In 2004, 4 Belgian politicians submitted a „law proposal about transsexuality“, hereby following European Resolution (12/09/1989) that asked member states to regulate the right of transsexuals on endocrinological, plastic-chirurgical and esthetical gender change, containing the juridical right to change ones first name and to correct the gender on the birth certificate and identity papers. In this limited overview, I will present the „life course“ of this proposal, the main (political) actors who were involved, the mayor objections formulated by TG-groups, and the current state of affairs. Since the debate is still goign on, there are no definite results yet, but interesting observations on (non-)cooperation could be made. Transsexuality in Spain: Close to legal solutions Alec Casanova, Coordinator of the Transsexuality and Gender Identity Group (GIGT) of Colectivo Lambda in Valencia, Spain Since 1983 the sex change is no longer punished by law in Spain. But all the medical care and legal burocracy transsexual people need to undergo to get our registered name and sex changed, have not been ruled yet. There’s only one autonomous community, from the seventeen which conform the Spanish State, which has included the complete medical care for transsexual people in the Community Health Service. This situation is due to the decentralization of the National Health Service among the different Autonomous Communities. The legal situation is due to be regulated on the next months with the „Ley de Identidad de Género“ (Gender Identity Law). Until now, 2005, transsexual people had to go to court demanding sex and name change on our birth certificates. On these trials we are obliged to undergo a medical examination, which is inhuman. On top of this, judges have the last word on our identity. Thus if anyone has a conservative judge on the trial we are quite sure we won’t get the name and sex change on our birth certificates. When the Gender Identity Law becomes a reality, transsexual people will only need the certificate of a psychologist and the endocrinologist who are attending us to be able to change our registered name and sex on our birth certificate. In 1989, The European Parliament passed a Resolution on the discrimination of the transsexual people in which requests the States members to pass dispositions on the rights of the transsexuals and the prohibition of discrimination. The current situation in Spain is that of persistent discrimination at both legal and social level toward the transsexual people. This discrimination has led to labour exclusion and social scorn of the transsexual community. Taking into account the above depicted situation, the following measures are claimed by the transsexual community in Spain: • The inclusion in the National Health Service of the transsexual process (psychological support treatments, hormonal and surgical). • The regulation of the registered name and sex change in our birth certificate. • The concession of asylum on grounds of transsexuality. • Educational programmes which help society understand the transsexual situation. The government’s financial aid to transsexual associations on their self-help groups. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 8 von 17 Mediterranean Sun and Sea is not always pretty to see Jó Bernardo, a.trans, Portugal Transgenderism is a widely unknown reality in Portugal. There are no statistics concerning the transgender population, and investigation in this field is limited by the difficulties in accessing individuals that lack support from the law and are stigmatised by society in general. There are many false beliefs attributed to transgenderism, like for example that all transgender people are sex workers or have some other type of night life activity (like strippers or drag show performers). In fact, the most visible part of the transgender community, either national or emigrated from Brazil or from ancient Portuguese African Colonies like Angola, São Tomé e Principe or Mozambique has a professional activity related with one of these two (or both) areas. In a study conducted in 1998 with a sample of approximately 50 transgender individuals, some important issues were identified; a significant majority of the sample came from rural parts of the country (45%) from this sample 28% had changed from their birthplace because of their sexual orientation. 39% are originally from the city and 16% are foreigners. There are no specific laws in the country regarding transgenderism or transexualism, only a few court sentences that serve as references about the later and that are sometimes contradictory. In fact, name change is possible for any citizen that wishes it and is a relatively accessible procedure, but only when the new name belongs to the same gender category as the previous one or to a gender-neutral name. This last case is the chosen one by several transsexuals in order to avoid the complicated procedure to have gender identity recognised. For this, the person has to go through a complicated legal process, and it can only occur with the decision of a court of law. Since 1996, sex change operation is possible and occurs in Portugal. It was only that year that the Portuguese Medical Order allowed it to happen. However, no information is available regarding the real number of operations performed in the national territory. Nevertheless, the process to have a sex change operation is long and implies a severe psychological and psychiatric evaluation in order to verify whether the candidate is eligible for the process. Besides, transgender persons were until the last 10 years socially not well seen, and were very often, disregarded as well as discriminated. However, as in the case of homosexuality, the traditional Portuguese „tolerance“ is usually prevalent in the contact with transgender individuals. For a couple of years now several institutions working in the field of HIV prevention have organised an annual transvestite gala on the 1st of December (World AIDS Day) to gather funding for the fight against AIDS. This gala has considerable impact in the media. Many other Trans people have in the last years contribute for changing the mainstream idea about the transgender community due to the visibility and recognition in their professions like Human rights activists, Models, Medicine Doctors, Lawyers or Journalists. Young Transgenders: Between discrimination and (in)visibility? Ammo Recla, Inbetween, Germany First we will introduce ourselves and our project. After that we will portrait the legal and social situation of young transgenders in Germany with the focus on Berlin where the situation is very different to the one in the rest of the country. Then we will speak about the special needs of young transgenders from the perspective of the work in our project. Here we will differentiate into needs in the transgender scene and needs in the help for young people (e.g. youth welfare, youth work). We will close our spotlight with a hypothesis about how the definition of trans identities among young transgenders has changed over the last decade. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 9 von 17 Transphobia in Russia Brian Dark, LGBT Center together, Russia Unfortunately, there are few transgender specialists in Russia. They work only in big cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk. They say there are some transgender specialists in Rostov-NaDonu, but anyway the situation is far from perfect. Doctors (psychiatrists) often don’t see the difference between transgender inclination and schizophrenia . They mix up self-idendification with sexual orientation. There are few endocrinologists, who can find proper medication for therapy. That’s especially important for MtF. The situation with the surgery is much better. There are different methods of operations and there’s always a choice. However sometimes doctors show homophobia and transphobia, for example, they can say to MtF person: “You can’t become a woman with such an ugly face!” or to FtM person: “Never tell me about yourself as a man! That insults me, because this is me who is a REAL man!” Transgender people often face homophobia and transphobia, especially in small towns. Transgender people are often abused, insulted and raped. (That referres to MtF and FtM) However, victims seldom go to the police. There are cases, when transgender persons went to the police, but they were refused any help, because there is also great homophobia among policemen. There were precedents when a transgender person lost his/her work because of the change of his/her sex. Now some transgenders try to go to the law, but they succeed rarely. That’s why most transgenders think that the best way is to earn money for transition, to change sex and documents and only then – to try to find a new job. Many transgender people change their place of living, as a rule they move to big cities, for example Moscow and St. Petersburg, because relatives refuse to communicate with them anymore and are ashamed of them. In the media this topic has scandalous and marginal trace, most „normal people“ think that transgenders are prostitutes or people, lost for the society. However, in recent years there have been people in Russia who try to do their best to give true information about transgender people. For example, in the summer of 2005 there were series of transmissions about transgender people on one of the main Russian TV-channels with a presenter Elena Malisheva. Unfortunately, there were great problems with this material, they even try to forbid it, so it was reduced and shown, but not in prime-time as it was promised to authors of the material. Nowadays, transgender problem is considered to be completely medical one. That means that only doctors deal with transgenders, but there is no social support for them. There was a group of psycological help for transgenders in Moscow, in the winter of 2004/2005, but it has stopped its activity, because the price turned out to be too high for Russian transgenders - $70 per months for 4 meetings a month. Few transgender people in Russia can be solvent enough. Since 2004 there appeared new groups of psycoligical support, but they are not professional, as they are organised by transgender people themselves. These are simply meetings of transgenders and they are usually held at home of some friend of the community. So, they are rather scanty and not stable. There are some internet resourses about transgenders in Russia and that fills up the lack of information – for example www.transsexuals.ru with law and medical sourses, forum, photos of participants etc. Transgender people can share their opinion and experience there. There is no fixed document in Russian legislation, which lets a determine sequence of changing the documents simultaneously or before changing the sex. Few people can change documents before the operation. As a rule, a transgender person is observed in some medical centre during a year, and then a committee gives him/her a permission to change the sex. Only after first series of operations have been made, a transgender person can change documents. In 1970 Professor A.I. Belkin become the first to study transsexuality in Russia. He created Moscow Centre of Psyco-Endocrinology, which studies transgender problems. We would like to find new friends among foreign transgender people, to learn their experience with homophobia and transphobia and their adaptation after the change of the sex. We are interested in everything connected with the life of transgender people abroad. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 10 von 17 Teilnehmende Länder und Gruppen TeilnehmerInnen der Ersten Europäischen TransGender Ratsversammlung: Etwa 120 Personen, die 64 Gruppen aus 23 Ländern vertreten. Österreich GenderTalk Grüne Andersrum http://feminismus.transgender.at www.gruene-andersrum.at/kontakt TIS Salzburg www.salzburg.transgender.at TransGender Linz www.linz.transgender.at TransGender Steiermark www.graz.transgender.at transgender.at http://transgender.at TransX - Austrian TransGender Association Belgien www.transx.at GAG - Genderactiongroup www.genderactiongroup.net Trans Action www.trans-action.org Bosnien Q - Queer zajednice u Bosni i Hercegovini Kroatien Zenska Soba Tschechien Transforum www.transforum.cz/tf Transslide www.transforum.cz/tf Dänemark www.queer.ba/ www.zinfo.hr/engleski/index-eng.htm PFT www.pft.dk/ Trans-Danmark http://trans-danmark.dk TS-Kontakt http://tsinfobar.dk Europa ILGA Europe Finnland Trasek Net Ex-Jugoslawien SEE Q - South Eastern European Queer Network http://www.queer.ba/seeqeng.htm Frankreich CARITIG www.caritig.org Deutschland Inbetween www.abqueer.de www.ilga-europe.org www.trasek.net Kingz of Berlin Polymorph www.kingzofberlin.de www.tgnb.de/gruppen/polymorph.html Sonntagsclub TGNB - TransGender Netz Berlin TGNB WB - Wissenschaftlicher Beirat des TGNB Transgender-Radio TransInterGenderSex transray.com TransSisters Berlin Wigstöckel Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 www.sonntags-club.de www.tgnb.de www.tgnb.de/WBmain.html www.transgenderradio.de www.tgnb.de/gruppen/tigs.html http://transray.com www.transsisters.de www.wigstoeckel.com Seite 11 von 17 Großbritannien a:gender www.ftm.org.uk FTM Network GIRES - Gender Identity Research and Education Society www.gires.org.uk Press for Change www.pfc.org.uk The Gender Trust www.gendertrust.org.uk TNUKdigest http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TNUKdigest Transmarriage Transsexual UK www.transyouth.org.uk TransYouth TS TV Newsletter www.tstv-news.co.uk Ungarn Tranny Club Island FSS - Organisation of LGBT Students in Iceland Irland TSI - Trans Support Ireland Italien Arcitrans http://gay.mis.is www.arcitrans.it CGIL - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro www.cgil.it/org.diritti Crisalide - AzioneTrans www.crisalide-azionetrans.it Gruppo Luna of Turin - www.mauriceglbt.org M.I.T. - Movimento di Identita Transsexuale www.mit-italia.it/prima.htm trans-european.org Niederlande ww.trans-european.org LKG T&T - Landelijke Kontaktgrouep T&T www.lkgtent.nl T-Image - www.t-image.org Portugal a.trans Russland LGBT Center together Spanien GIGT - Grupo de Identidad de Genero y Transsexualidad http://a-trans.planetaclix.pt/index.html http://gay.ru/english/index.htm http://gigt.org FELGT - Federacion Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays y Transsexuales Schweden FPE-S - Freedom of Personality Expression GLBT-Socialdemocrats Ukraine Lambda Istambul www.fpes.se/ www.hss.socialdemokraterna.se/styrelse.asp RFSL - Riksförbundet För Sexuellt Likaberättigande Türkei www.felgt.org www.rfsl.se www.lambdaistanbul.org Amargi www.amargi.org.tr ULGA www.ugla.odessa.ua/enter.htm Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 12 von 17 Forderungen der Organisation TransX für Österreich Was wir wollen: T r a n s X Forderungspaket Recht auf freien Ausdruck der eigenen Geschlechtlichkeit ohne Diskriminierung und Diffamierung! JedeR hat das Recht auf freie Wahl des eigenen Geschlechts und auf den uneingeschränkten Ausdruck aller geschlechtlichen Empfindungen. Geschlechtskonformität darf kein Kriterium für die Achtung oder Missachtung von Menschen sein. Das Verhalten und die Wahl der Kleidung sind persönliche Entscheidungen, die nicht mehr zu Diffamierungen im Beruf und im Alltag führen dürfen. Wir fordern klare Gesetze, auf deren Basis sich auch TransGender-Personen gegen sexistische Belästigungen und Diskriminierungen wehren können. Recht auf freien Namenswahl! In Österreich ist es nicht möglich einen Vornamen zu wählen, der nicht dem staatlich zugewiesenem Geschlecht entspricht. Wer offiziell einen anderen Vornamen führen möchte, muss sich einer Zwangstherapie und einer geschlechtsangleichenden Operation unterziehen1. Wer sein Geschlecht auch in seinem Namen ausdrücken möchte wird als krank angesehen und zur Operation getrieben. Wir fordern unverzüglich das Recht zur eigenverantwortlichen freien Wahl des Vornamens. Keine Geschlechtsdiskriminierung in Ausweispapieren! In den Pässen wird das staatlich zugewiesene Geschlecht ausgewiesen. Damit werden viele gezwungen eine Geschlechtlichkeit zu deklarieren die ihrer Lebenspraxis widerspricht. Genauso wie früher die Nennung von Rasse und Religion in den Ausweispapieren dokumentierten, worauf bei der Unterscheidung von Menschen Wert gelegt wurde, tut es heute noch die Nennung des Geschlechts. Der Staat soll uns ungeachtet unserer Herkunft, Religion und unseres Geschlecht behandeln. Geschlechtsdeklarationen und Geschlechtsdiskriminierungen in amtlichen Ausweispapieren sind zu streichen. Abschaffung unnötiger Untersuchungen von Transsexuellen! Zur Änderung des Personenstandes müssen operierte Transsexuelle beim Institut für Gerichtliche Medizin der Universität Wien ein Gutachten einholen, das die Durchführung der geschlechtsangleichenden Operation bestätigt. Trotz des Vorliegens von Operationsberichten werden Transsexuelle noch einmal im Genitalbereich inspiziert und müssen die dafür verrechneten Kosten auch zur Gänze selbst tragen. Die Nachbegutachtung von Transsexuellen, die Operationsberichte aus dem Europäischen Raum vorlegen, ist zu streichen. Darüber hinaus ... Darüber hinaus unterstützen TransGender-Personen alle Bemühungen zur Einführung eingetragener Partnerschaften ohne einer Diskriminierung nach dem Geschlecht. Wir fordern die Sicherung und den Ausbau des Gesundheits- und Sozialsystems und die Gewährleistung von Datenschutz bezüglich unserer gesundheitlichen und geschlechtlichen Entwicklung. Der zentrale Punkt unserer gesellschaftspolitischen Forderungen bleibt jedoch das Recht zum freien Ausdruck der eigenen Geschlechtsidentität. Sein Geschlecht in all seiner Vielfalt zu leben darf kein Grund für soziale Diskriminierung sein! 1) Geregelt in den Empfehlungen für den Behandlungsprozess von Transsexuellen in Österreich vom Juni 1997 und dem "Transsexuellen Erlass" des Bundesministeriums für Inneres, Zahl: 36.250/66-IV/4/96 vom 27.11.1996. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 13 von 17 Zur TransGender-Ratsversammlung eingebrachte Forderungen Siehe auch http://tgeu.net -> [Demands] Im Vorfeld der TransGender Tagung haben viele teilnehmenden Gruppen schon ihre wichtigsten Anliegen und Forderungen eingebracht. Die vorliegenden Dokumente bringen sowohl die inhaltliche Übereinstimmung innerhalb der europäischen TransGender Bewegung zum Ausdruck, wie auch die kulturelle Vielfalt und die regionale Unterschiedlichkeit gesetzlicher Regelungen und Bestimmungen, mit denen sie konfrontiert ist. Allgemein sind nicht nur der Kampf um staatliche Anerkennung des gelebten Geschlecht, das Recht auf freie und unbürokratische Wahl des Vornamens und Selbstbestimmung bezüglich der Art und Reihenfolge operativer Eingriffe. Mehrere Gruppen, genannt seien hier nur CARITIG aus Frankreich und die Gruppo Luna aus Turin, fordern die Möglichkeit, die Änderung des Geschlechtseintrags in offiziellen Dokumenten auch ohne verpflichtenden operativen Eingriff vornehmen lassen zu können. Die belgische Gruppe Trans-Action, sowie das TransGender Netz Berlin zielen inhaltlich auf das selbe ab, wenn sie einen Ausbau der Menschenrechte bezüglich persönlicher Selbstbestimmung und Autonomie fordert. Darüber hinaus fordern Gruppen wie der Sonntagsclub aus Berlin oder T-Image aus den Niederlanden eine finanzielle Unterstützung bei den medizinischen und sozialen Kosten des Übergangs. Schutz gegen Diskriminierung mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf Schutz gegen Diskriminierung am Arbeitsplatz haben trans-european.org aus Italien und die Grupo de Identidad de Genero y Transsexualidad aus Spanien zu ihren Forderungen erhoben. Forderungen, nach Themenbereichen zusammengestellt: Anti Discrimination Anti Discrimination Law Having a specifying anti discrimination European law for transgender people and not only European Court sentences. We must be present in any future European constitution as subjects for whom is not allowed any kind of discrimination. Specific anti-discrimination law at European level Specific anti-discrimination law No Discrimination No more discrimination of transgender people This means social change in attitude by the general public: transgender people should not be seen as 'outsiders' and treated as such. No more discrimination and acceptance in today's society of GID-people GID raises a lot of questions and evokes al too often the wrong picture in the mind of people. Dissemination of correct information and campaigns for better understanding would dispel fears, refute misconceptions and lead to a better understanding and acceptance from the rest of the Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 14 von 17 Civil Status Documents without Surgery Possibility to change id documents without the need of demolition surgery. Especially important when already under hormone therapy and with physical changes taking place. No discrimination of sex in passports and other public identity papers Declaring ones sex in passports implies severe problem for all travelling TGs but is not logical for public security. To adjust the gender marks in identity papers transgendered persons are still forced to undergo the procedures required by the state to recognise sex change. In fact, these entries express the sexist ideology of the state similar as race and religion were shown in identity papers of racist and fundamental regimes. But they imply also a severe discrimination of all people who don't represent one gender all their lifetime. Legalise Change of Birth Certificates Legalise change of Birth Certificates At the present time, only Andorra, Albania & here in the Republic of Ireland, Birth Certificates cannot be changed. No Sex Registration Abolition of sex registration Sex registration is private information that the state has no business with. Just as religion and race registration were abolished, sex registration should be kept out of the state's records. Since the abandonment of military service for men, there is no reason for the state to register one's sex at all. A first step towards this abandonment could be a simplification of the process of name/gender change. Recognition by the State without Surgery A law allowing the change of the mention of the sex without obligation of SRS But also assuring of the right of privacy, for example: The future card in France of the health care will included the entirety of the medical file of the person. If this one does not wish to make known its transsexuality with all its doctors, that will not be possible! A law like UK or Spain allowing a full change of gender without to be obliged to undergo SRS We think that every day of a transgender person lived with documents different from her/his new real gender is a day spent in violation of privacy. So that kind of law is totally necessary. We provided to interest Italian Privacy Authority questioning what written above but we still are waiting for reply. In next months we will re-write in a way that Privacy Authority must reply. All certificated sex entries should be adjusted according to the actually lived gender without being forced to surgery. Everybody should be respected in performing his/her own gender without defamation. The state might register our gender but should neither force us to physical adjustments nor to unfold our privacy by foreshowing a previous gender-status in any file public available. Living in one gender should be sufficient for full official gender recognition. The possibility of changing one's name and sex, stated at our birth certificate and DNI (National Identification Card), without having to go through all surgeries. That is to say, we want our psycho-social sex-gender to be considered as the one to rule. Up till now, we have been forced, by law, to fulfil all surgery, even though, some of us have health problems with the anaesthesia and other parts of the surgery, to obtain at court the sex and name change. Human Rights Self-determination Enforcement of Human Rights concerning the bodily and psychological self-determination and autonomy Enforcement of the Human Rights of self-determination and autonomy TransGender as Reason for Asylum Recognition of trans* as a reason to be granted asylum Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 15 von 17 Medical Treatment Finance by Public Health Services Better funding for treatment. Treatment should be funded for all surgeries, psychotherapy sessions, medication etc. necessary for somebody to live in the desired gender - be that male, female, neither of the two or somewhere in between. Basically everything should be funded that makes it possible for somebody to manage/live with their gender dysphoria: be it altered or unaltered bodies. Right now it is especially hard for people who don't identify as 100% transsexual to have some kind of treatment and/or hormones and/or surgeries Free choice of the doctors (private or public hospitals) and funded by the Health Care. Only some medical teams are recognized and give the possibility to the transsexuals of being funded with the Health Care. If a person goes in the private one, it will have to pay from its pocket the surgery. That represents in France one of the most significant problems. Lack of medical services & a great lack of trained professionals in the field of Transgenderism. Hormones available through national health service. Having to take hormones for our whole life, we should be included in the categories for which hormones are "life-saving medicines". Medicine generally Inclusion of the whole transsexualizing process, starting from the point in which people search for information on transsexuality, psychological. hormonal therapy, surgery and any implications this process has on our health. We think that there may be people who may need information to clear out the doubts they have about their possible transsexuality, which is a previous step to the indication of the psychological therapy. We also think that our body, once it has been modified, will need special treatment on some illnesses common to non-transsexual people. Therefore, it is not only the process we need coverage, but the whole health understood from the point of view of transsexuality. Self-determination No interference of any kind of authority in the medical treatment of GID No statutory determination of GID. No legislation concerning the dispensation of medical care nor its treatment. No restrictions of any kind and the right to choose one's doctor Total free transition in a different ethiology of transgenderism (no more psychiatric, or not in the way we are now in DSM IV and ICD 10). We are close to diffidate the Ministry of Public Health because HRT is not free for transgender. We know and think that the only reason of this exclusion is a discriminitatory one. No Force to Divorce No Force to Divorce No automatic and forced divorce in case of sex change. That should be a free choice of the spouses. Right of Name Free Choice of Name Free choice of ones first name without need of undergo SRS or any other surgery Free choice of ones first name Each person should have the right to change her first name in self-responsibility regardless of her sex. Names express personality and identity. The adoption of an official name should take place according to one's own declaration. People must not be forced to psychiatric and medical treatment respectively specific legal proceedings when they choose a name not according to their native sex. Every person from 18 years and above should be able to change their first name to a gender specific name without any bureaucratic obstacles. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 16 von 17 Social Issues Acceptance of Gender Diversity The Questioning and Criticism of the two-sex/gender-order. Recognition of the gender diversity as a logical part of our society. At the medical level by an exit of the DSM and ICD. But also by a better training of the professionals, a governmental financial support for non profit transgender organisations, information campaigns in direction of general public, etc. Acceptance in today’s society. Even in 2005 many people have where little knowledge about transgendered people. Often people have difficulties to distinguish between drags, transvestites and transsexuals, whish is clouding their mind. Therefore we have to be better in communicating our message to the general public, in order to obtain a better understanding and acceptance from the rest of the society. Education in issue of Transgenderism Education Teachers and instructors in all areas, but with focus on education of young people, should be well educated about transgender issues. They should be educated directly by transgender people. Educating people at a very early age on the whole issue of Transgenderism Organized publicity campaigns within the schooling systems to bring greater understanding to a whole new generation & thereby attempt to eradicate discrimination within a generation. Financial Support of non-pathologizing TG/IS Infra Support (e.g. financial among other things) of non-pathologizing TG/IS infrastructure (like support and advocacy groups, centers and projects). Support at the Work Field Protection against dismissal Transgender people, holding a job during the SRS period (not only surgery), should for a certain time be protected against dismissal by law. The target should be a similar system like the maternity protection for women after birth of a child. We also demand positive discrimination at the work field because the transsexual population is discriminated on grounds of the transsexuality We want to achieve some income benefit for the employer who gives work to transsexual people. So it would be as an incentive for them and for transsexual people. TransGender Law TransGender Law Get a law that complies with transsexuality Our main goal is to get a general law for transsexuality. At the moment many different laws in this country has to be considered when dealing with transsexuals. Many of the laws that applies at the moment are form the beginning of the 20'th century and where not intended to apply to people with Gender Dysphoria Syndrome. At the moment our lawyers are looking into how many laws would be affected if we would make a general law for transgendered people so that we are better prepared when we talk to the political establishment. When dealing with a law complex, you have to make a political decision on how to approach the problems and how to sell your ideas to the decision makers. Pressemappe – Erster Europäischer TransGender Rat – 3. 11. 2005 Seite 17 von 17