the first European TransGender Meeting

TransX - the Austrian transgender association, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. That would be just another good reason to go beyond our own threshold. Therefore we demand a new politic.

It is to take place in Vienna / Austria in the autumn of 2005 with the aim to discuss our individual experience in the fields of legal and social problems in different European countries and to learn from one another how to cope with them.

We wonder if it would be possible to formulate an Europe-wide political consensus on our joint political claims.
The meeting should deal with legal issues and political goals in each country represented. Furthermore, we are planning to organize expert lectures as well as social and cultural events.

First European TransGender Council on Civil and Political Rights Thu, 3.11. to Sun, 6.11. 2005, Vienna

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 peopleThis 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-peopleGID 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

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 papersDeclaring 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 CertificatesAt the present time, only Andorra, Albania & here in the Republic of Ireland, Birth Certificates cannot be changed.

No Sex Registration Abolition of sex registrationSex 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 SRSBut 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 SRSWe 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

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 GIDNo 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.

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 EducationTeachers 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 TransgenderismOrganized 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 dismissalTransgender 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 transsexualityOur 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.