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18 MAY 2012
TENI Meets with the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to mark IDAHOT
On the morning of 17th May TENI and other LGBT groups met with the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT). This meeting provided an excellent educational opportunity to raise awareness and educate about transphobia.
“Yesterday was the first time a transgender organisation was asked to present in front of an Oireachtas Committee,” said TENI’s National Development Worker Vanessa Lacey. “This is an important starting point to trans people being accepted and respected in Irish society.”
TENI’s presentation highlighted the pervasive transphobia facing trans people in Ireland. Vanessa Lacey spoke passionately about the difficulties in recording hate crimes against trans people, accessing healthcare and the necessity for awareness and education in the schools. The need for progressive gender recognition legislation was also stressed.
In response to a question posed by Senator Zappone regarding the newly introduced Gender Identity Legislation in Argentina, TENI was able to elaborate on the restrictive nature of certain criteria proposed by the Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG) last July. In particular, the requirements of forced divorce and diagnosis of a mental illness.
“The Argentinian law has been widely heralded as simple and straightforward and reflecting good practice and the trajectory of transgender human rights,” said TENI Director Broden Giambrone. “Ireland would do well to follow the example that Argentina has set and lead Europe in the area of progressive gender recognition legislation.”
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