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Download Joan Burton TD, Minister for Social Protection Áras Mhic Dhiarmada
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Joan Burton TD, Minister for Social Protection Áras Mhic Dhiarmada Store Street Dublin 1 Dear Minister Burton, RE: Gender Recognition Legislation As an advocate for human rights, I am writing to express my deep disappointment at the lack of progress made in legislating for transgender and intersex people in this country. The damage caused by delaying gender recognition is significant for Ireland’s trans community, their families and friends. The continued delay amounts to ignoring the needs and rights of people across Ireland, from a farmer in Donegal to a college student in Maynooth. And the cost of ignoring those rights is real. On a daily basis, the lack of gender recognition legislation causes harm: from losing a college place to being denied welfare payment to being unable to marry a beloved partner. Identity documents are often queried, with trans people forced to explain the different gender markers on their documents. People are asked ‘Whose ID have you stolen?” and are forced to ‘out’ themselves over and over. Some people are denied the right to travel because of difficulties gaining a passport denoting their true gender. On 5 December 2012 a young man spoke before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection. He shared his experience of speaking to a civil servant working in Welfare, who queried the different name and gender marker on his birth certificate, compared to his other identification. When he explained that he was a trans man, the person laughed at him and hung up the phone. Trans people in Ireland have a suicide attempt rate of 40%. The fact that they continue to be denied their civil and human rights is a factor in their sense of despair. I understand that the introduction of Gender Recognition currently stands on the ‘C’ list for 2014. The trans community in Ireland needs your support now. Please prioritise Gender Recognition: let the Heads of Bill be discussed and introduced as a matter of urgency. We need to accord equal rights to transgender and intersex people in our country – for all our sakes. Yours sincerely,