Taking To The Street For Transgender Visibility
Image: Trans rights protesters march down King Street in Newtown. Photo: Allison Hore
Ahead of Trans Day of Visibility on March 31, protesters took over King Street to raise awareness about a number of issues which impact the transgender and gender diverse communities.
International Transgender Day of Visibility is a day dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness about the discrimination they face. The day was first marked in 2009 and has been held annually since then, with many participants taking to social media to post selfies and share their stories to raise awareness and start conversations.
In NSW, some of the key issues faced by the transgender community include the hurdles which much be jumped in order to change the gender marker on birth certificates and an education bill being pushed by One Nation MLC Mark Latham which would prohibit discussion of gender diversity in schools.
Around 300 protesters gathered outside Newtown鈥檚 the Hub Theatre before marching down King Street to Victoria Park. Speaking outside the Hub, Pride in Protest member Mikhael praised the protesters for coming out and making themselves visible and their voices heard.
Punters enjoying a Saturday afternoon drink at the Newtown Hotel cheer on protesters.
— Allison Hore (@AllisonM_H)
鈥淲e are a community under constant attack, and when we stand up to defend ourselves we will be victorious,鈥� Mikhael said.
Self identification
Physics teacher Genevieve Doyle also spoke at the rally. She spoke about the difficulties trans people face in changing the gender marker on their birth certificate, which in NSW requires a person to have genital surgery verified by two independent GPs.
While gender affirming surgery can be life saving for transgender people, it is still considered an elective surgery and not covered under medicare. This means for transgender people on lower incomes, and those with conflicting medical conditions, genital surgery is inaccessible.
She said it was desirable for transgender people to change the gender marker on their birth certificate, not to change the past, but 鈥渟imply for completeness of legal identity.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not an indulgence in altering history like some people think, most of us couldn鈥檛 care less about our history we know about it, it鈥檚 nothing to do with history it鈥檚 about completeness of ID.聽If you go for a job with a mismatched ID it looks like you鈥檙e some kind of fraud.鈥�
Protesters also spoke out against Mr. Latham鈥檚 proposed bill which would prevent teaching or discussion about transgender people in government schools by banning any mention of 鈥済ender fluidity.鈥�
Addressing the crowd member for Newtown, Jenny Leong, committed to standing against the bill in parliament to protect transgender and non-binary young people, who she says are 鈥渕ost under attack.鈥�
鈥淵ou are the ones that we see the bullies and the likes of One Nation MP Mark Latham in the NSW parliament, you are the ones that he tries to bully, you are the ones who he tries to erase, you are the ones that he tries to remove,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e say that we will not stand for that bullying, we say that we are with you.鈥�
A rally against Mark Latham鈥檚 bill will be held on the 17th of April ahead of it being brought to the table in the NSW parliament.
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