Who we are
Transgender Equality Network Ireland Ltd. (TENI) is a non-profit organisation supporting the transgender community in Ireland in all its variety. We raise awareness about gender diversity through support, training and dissemination of information. Read more...
Updates
Visible Lives
Visible Lives is a research project that aims to explore the lives, experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Ireland who are aged 55 and over. This study is commissioned by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and funded by Age and Opportunity and the HSE. A wide range of organisations are also working with GLEN on this study including older people’s groups and a number of LGBT organisations. The study is being conducted by a group of researchers in Trinity College Dublin, led by Professor Agnes Higgins. The project advisory group and the research team are comprised of people of various sexual orientations and gender identities.
As part of this two-part project, they are first collecting data using an anonymous survey and then interviewing participants in order to learn more about the experiences and opinions of older LGBT people. The findings from this study will be used to improve services and to make recommendations for how to best address the identified needs of the older LGBT in Ireland. You can participate by completing the anonymous survey either online, by post, or by phone. You can then decide if you would like to participate in a further interview.
Success for Dr. Lydia Foy
Transgender Equality Network Ireland strongly welcomes the announcement today, 21st June 2010, of the State’s official withdrawal of its appeal against the Supreme Court’s declaration of incompatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of Dr. Lydia Foy v An t-Ard Chláraitheoir & Others.
This will bring to a close the 13 year long legal battle which Dr. Foy had to initiate following the Register General’s refusal to issue Dr. Foy with a new birth certificate that would recognise her preferred gender.
“Today’s announcement is an important step forward by the Irish State”, said Carol-Anne O’Brien of TENI. “It will bring Irish law closer to EU norms and it contributes to the human rights of transgender people in Ireland.”
Carol-Anne O’Brien said: “TENI would like to take this opportunity to warmly congratulate Dr Foy on her victory. Dr. Foy’s courage and tenacity has won an important achievement for all within Ireland’s trans and wider LGBTQ community.”
Martine Cuypers of TENI added: “TENI urges the government to act quickly to honour the commitments given in the current Programme for Government to bring forward Gender Recognition legislation”.
Press queries may be directed towards Garrett McCord, administrator, 01 633 4687 / 087 763 6193, admin@teni.ie
European Parliament says the EU should do more for transgender rights
On 16th June 2010 the European Parliament adopted a strong position in favour of safeguarding transgender people's fundamental rights. The Parliament officially acknowledged discrimination on grounds of gender identity, calls for accessible gender reassignment procedures, and insists future EU gender equality initiatives should address issues linked to gender identity and gender reassignment. The Figueiredo report evaluating the European Union's 2006-2010 Roadmap for equality between women and men was adopted today, and calls for more explicit measures to combat discrimination based on gender identity. In particular, the report:
- acknowledges discrimination and multiple discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and/or gender identity;
- calls on EU authorities to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations in future work on gender equality;
- stresses that gender reassignment procedures should be made accessible, including through public health insurance schemes; and
- requires that future EU actions in the field of gender equality explicitly cover issues linked to gender identity and gender reassignment.
Gender Recognition Symposium, Cork, 14th May 2010
A symposium, entitled ‘Towards a Gender Recognition Framework for Ireland’ took place on Friday May 14th at University College Cork to contribute to the debate leading to the drafting of Gender Recognition legislation promised in the Renewed Programme for Government. In particular, we hope to learn from the experience of the drafting of the Gender Recognition Act, 2004 in the UK and to highlight the human rights issues which require consideration in the drafting process. From an Irish perspective, we hope to identify the existing protections available to trans and intersex persons under Irish law and to emphasise the need to introduce such legislation. Speakers at the symposium included:
Ms Mary White, T.D., Minister for Equality, Integration and Human Rights (Opening Remarks); Prof. Andrew Sharpe, School of Law, Keele University; Prof. Stephen Whittle, School of Law, Manchester Metropolitan University; Ms. Eilís Barry, Barrister at Law; Mr. Michael Farrell, Solicitor, Free Legal Advice Centres; Irish Human Rights Commission; Ms. Tanya Ní Mhuirthile, Faculty of Law, University College Cork; Prof Martha Fineman, Feminism and Legal Theory Project, Emory University, USA.
The symposium forms part of an Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences thematic project, on Gender Equality, Religious Diversity and Multiculturalism in Contemporary Ireland. The event is hosted by the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights at the Faculty of Law in UCC.
WPATH urges the de-psychopathologisation of Gender Variance
In a statement in response to the APA's proposed DSM 5 Criteria for Gender Incongruence, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) strongly urges the de-psychopathologisation of gender variance worldwide. The response states: "The expression of gender characteristics, including identities, that are not stereotypically associated with one's assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally-diverse human phenomenon which should not be judged as inherently pathological or negative. The psychopathologlization of gender characteristics and identities reinforces or can prompt stigma, making prejudice and discrimination more likely,rendering transgender and transsexual people more vulnerable to social and legal marginalization and exclusion, and increasing risks to mental and physical well-being. WPATH urges governmental and medical professional organizations to review their policies and practices to eliminate stigma toward gender-variant people." Download the full text of the reponse…
EU leaders mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
On the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), 17th May, leaders from the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission have issued strong messages condemning homophobia. It is the first time that 3 top-level EU leaders address homophobia jointly and unequivocally.
Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, the EU institution representing 27 national governments, issued a written statement on the International Day Against Homophobia, affirming the EU’s commitment to refuse discrimination on any grounds, and affirming that “discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation has ceased to constitute a political cleavage, and is enshrined in the EU’s founding act and statement of values.”
Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, issued a video message reaffirming the commitment of the European Parliament to combat any form of discrimination, including homophobia. The President of the European Parliament declared: “Homophobia is a clear breach of human dignity that questions fundamental rights; and thus, it must be strongly condemned.”
Viviane Reding, Vice-president of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, also issued a statement condemning homophobia as “a blatant violation of human dignity”, “incompatible with the principles on which the EU is founded”.
Co-presidents of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights Ulrike Lunacek and Michael Cashman welcomed the initiative, and congratulated all 3 EU leaders on their renewed commitments. They declared: “We are indeed very pleased that the highest authorities of the 3 core EU institutions have come out against homophobia today. Their statements are exemplary, and clearly show one thing: in 2010 in the European Union, the fundamental rights of everyone, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, have ceased to divide mainstream political parties and can be considered an integral part of the European Union’s foundations recognised across the mainstream political spectrum.”
Read and watch the full statements online… Read more about IDAHO….
Mental Health Guide
On Wed. 5th May the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, was given the first copy of a leaflet entitled "Look After Yourself, Look After Your Mental Health – A Guide for LGBT People." The guide was developed by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention in collaboration with GLEN and BeLonG To and presented to the president at Áras an Uachtaráin by representatives of a wide range of LGBT organisations, including TENI. Read the Guide…
Liliquoi Blue Exhibition
In Spring 2010, CityArts recolated to its new permanent home on Bachelor's Walk in Dublin’s city centre. To mark this, Manchester artist Qasim Riza Shaheen was commissioned to research and develop a new body of work that would respond to the local area and context. Based in Dublin for six months in 2009, Qasim Riza Shaheen worked with members of the Dublin Filipino transgender community, developing the project "Liliquoi Blue: God made me a boy". The completed work consists of three video adaptations entitled Father I have sinned I, II and III, and an accompanying publication. Read more…
Where and when: CityArts, 15 Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1; exhibition runs until Friday 21st May 2010, Thu. Fri. Sat. 1-6 pm.
Serious Game Exhibition
In April-May Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) in association with the Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme hosted “Serious Game”, an audio-visual installation by Anja Weber and Sabine Ercklentz. The exhibition was launched on Saturday 24 April and ran until 8 May, Monday to Saturday 12pm - 6pm, at Monster Truck Gallery, 73 Francis Street, Dublin 8. It included portraits accompanied by the voices of individual trans people sharing their experiences. Read more…
Join the Serious Game Facebook group
|
|
The exhibition forms part of the “…And Others!” project, a collaboration of European transgender organisations to develop a best practice tool-kit for trans-equality, rights and inclusion throughout Europe. On 22-25 April TENI welcomed representatives from Scotland, the Netherlands, Austria, France and Germany for an international project meeting. Events included a 3-hour seminar on transgender issues at Exchange Dublin (topics: obtaining EU funding; media representation; employment rights; healthcare; hate crime legislation; gender recognition; family and relationship recognition), followed by a screening of the film "Identities", attended by the film's director.
European Progress
On 31 March 2010 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, representing the national governments of its 47 Member States, unanimously adopted historic Recommendations on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. This is the world’s first intergovernmental agreement codifying the application of human rights standards to LGBT people. The Recommendations establish how international human rights standards should be applied to LGBT people and contain specific measures for Member States on how they should improve their legislation, policies and practices to address discrimination against LGBT people. The full text of the Recommendations is available on the Committee of Ministers website.
Barcelona Conference
Human Rights Watch, along with several Spanish and foreign public administrations is sponsoring a large International Conference on Gender Identity and Human Rights on 4-6 June 2010 in Barcelona, carried by a broad coalition of groups and associations for the recognition of the rights of the trans people. Read more…
Building Sustainable LGBT Communities
A Joint Working Group of Irish LGBT organisations, including TENI, has acquired substantial three-year seed funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies to implement the Building Sustainable LGBT Communities Programme. Read more...
For older news items see News!
Upcoming Events and Support Group meetings
Become a Member or Supporter
TENI depends on membership fees, donations and grants to carry out its work. New members and supporters are always welcome. We encourage transgender people, their friends, partners, family and anyone with a commitment to Irish trans issues to join TENI by filling out the membership form posted under About Us or to support TENI by clicking the 'Donate' button below.
Funders and Supporters
TENI carries out its work with the grant-aid and support of the following agencies and organisations:
COSC, National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence
Community Foundation for Ireland
EU campaign For Diversity, Against Discrimination
European Union Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme
PROGRESS, EU Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity