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-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of UNNews
Sent: Saturday, 17 September 2011 1:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: UN RIGHTS CHIEF LAUDS AUSTRALIAN MOVE ON IDENTITY FOR TRANSGENDER,
INTERSEX PEOPLE
UN RIGHTS CHIEF LAUDS AUSTRALIAN MOVE ON IDENTITY FOR TRANSGENDER, INTERSEX
PEOPLE New York, Sep 16 2011 11:05AM
The United Nations human rights chief today welcomed Australia's decision to
enable its citizens who are transgender or intersex, or who do not wish to
identify themselves as either male or female, to have their sex and gender
identity properly reflected on their passports.
"By its action, Australia has placed itself in the vanguard of change and
has scored an important victory for human rights," High Commissioner for
Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a
<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11384&Lan
gID=E">news release.
The option of expressing a change of gender or indeterminate gender will now
be open to Australians who have had appropriate clinical treatment - and not
necessarily physical treatment.
"This is something that will be welcome news for many transgender and
intersex people in Australia who from now on will not be required to undergo
surgery or hormonal treatment in order to be able to express their gender
identity," said Ms. Pillay.
"Without official recognition of their preferred gender, transgender and
intersex individuals face a wide range of practical, everyday challenges -
for example, when applying for a job, opening a bank account or travelling,"
she noted.
"Making it simpler for people to obtain official documents that reflect
their preferred gender will make life easier for thousands of people, in the
process removing barriers that until now have prevented them from exercising
their human rights on an equal footing with others."
According to the High Commissioner, more States are starting to recognize
the need to reflect sex and gender diversity, with countries such as Nepal,
Portugal, the United Kingdom and Uruguay having taken "pioneering" steps in
recent years to make it easier for transgender and intersex persons to
obtain legal recognition of a change of gender, or to indicate a gender
other than male or female.
She urged all States to review their laws, policies and practices to ensure
that discrimination against transgender and intersex individuals is
addressed in a systematic and effective way.
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