Posts Tagged ‘transgender’

WPATH urges de-psychopathologisation of gender variance

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 26, 2010

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health has prepared and released a statement urging the de-psychopathologisation of gender variance worldwide. The statement is as follows:

The WPATH Board of Directors strongly urges the de-psychopathologisation of gender variance worldwide. The expression of gender characteristics, including identities, that are not stereotypically associated with one’s assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally-diverse human phenomenon which should not be judged as inherently pathological or negative. The psychopathologlisation of gender characteristics and identities reinforces or can prompt stigma, making prejudice and discrimination more likely, rendering transgender and transsexual people more vulnerable to social and legal marginalisation and exclusion, and increasing risks to mental and physical well-being. WPATH urges governmental and medical professional organizations to review their policies and practices to eliminate stigma toward gender-variant people.”

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International Appeal Against Transphobia / Pandaigdigang Panawagan Laban sa Transphobia

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

transphobia-appeal1

Reject Transphobia, Respect Gender Identity:

An Appeal to the United Nations,

the World Health Organisation and the States of the World

Every day, people who live at variance to expected gender[1] norms face violence, abuse, rape, torture and hate crime all over the world, in their home as well as in the public arena. Though most cases of violence never get documented, we know that in the first weeks of 2009 alone, Trans women have been murdered in Honduras, Serbia and in the USA. Trans men are equally victims of hate crimes, prejudice and discrimination despite their frequent social and cultural invisibility.

The basic human rights of Trans people are being ignored or denied in all nations – be it out of ignorance, prejudice, fear or hate and Trans people overwhelmingly face daily discrimination, which results in social exclusion, poverty, poor health care and little prospects of appropriate employment.

Far from protecting Trans citizens, States and International bodies reinforce social transphobia through short sighted negligence or reactionary politics:

Because of the failure of national law and social justice, in far too many States Trans people are being forced to live a gender which they experience as fundamentally wrong for them. In most countries, any attempt to change one’s gender can lead to legal sanctions, brutal mistreatment and social stigma. In other countries, legal recognition of gender change is subject to sterilization or other major surgical intervention. Trans people who cannot or do not wish to submit to this, cannot obtain legal recognition of their preferred gender, and are forced to ‘come out’ whenever they cross a border, run into a police patrol, apply for a new job, move into a new home or simply want to buy a mobile phone.

Contributing factors include that current International health classifications still consider all Trans people as mentally “disordered”. This outdated vision is insulting and incorrect and is used to justify daily discrimination and stigmatization in all aspects of Trans people’s lives.

Recently though in some countries with very different social and cultural contexts significant legal advances have been made. Following in the wake of bold judicial decisions, State action has led to increased acceptance of Trans people within their society. This demonstrates that understanding and progress is possible.

Currently Trans people everywhere in the world rise up to reclaim their human rights and freedom. They carry an unanimous message that they will no longer accept to be labelled sick or treated as non human beings on the basis of their gender identity and gender expression.

This is why we ask:

- The W.H.O. to stop considering Trans people as mentally disordered and to promote access to adequate health care and psychological support, as desired by Trans people.

- The United Nations Human Rights bodies to examine the human rights abuses that Trans people face around the world and to take action to combat these abuses.

- The States of the World to adopt the international Yogyakarta Principles and ensure that all Trans people benefit from appropriate health care, including gender reassignment if they so wish; be allowed to adapt their civil status to their preferred gender; live their social, family or professional lives without being exposed to transphobic discrimination, prejudice or hate crime and that they are protected by the police and justice systems from physical and non-physical violence.

We call on the UN, the W.H.O. and the nations of the world, in adopting these measures, to refuse transphobia and welcome the right of their citizens to live fully and freely in their preferred gender, assumed as an expression of cultural freedom.

[1] (such as transvestite, transsexual, transgender and other cultural identities related to cross-gender dressing and living)

Tanggihan ang Transphobia, Igalang ang Pagkakakilanlang Pangkasarian:

Isang Panawagan sa United Nations,

sa World Health Organisation at sa mga Estado ng Mundo

Araw-araw, ang mga taong namumuhay na iba sa mga inaasahang pangkasariang[1] pamantayan ay nahaharap sa karahasan, pangaaabuso, pagkakagahasa, torture at mga krimen ng pagkamuhi saan man sa mundo, sa kanilang mga tahanan maging sa mga pambulikong lugar. Kahit na karamihan sa mga kaso ng karahasan ay hindi nasusulat, alam natin na noong mga unang linggo ng taong 2009 maraming kababaihang trans ang napatay sa Honduras, Serbia at Estados Unidos. Ang mga lalakeng trans naman ay kapwa biktima rin ng mga krimen ng pagkamuhi, paninino, at diskriminasyon kahit pa hindi sila madalas makita sa lipunan at sa kultura.

Ang mga pangunahing karapatang pantao ng mga Trans ay kasalukuyang hindi pinagtutuunang-pansin o kaya’y sadyang ipinagkakait sa lahat ng mga bansa sa mundo – bunga ito ng kamangmangan, paninino, takot o pagkamuhi na nagreresulta sa panlipunang pagsasantabi, kahirapan, mababang serbisyong pangkalusugan at maliit na pagkakataon para sa mga taong Trans na magkaroon ng angkop na trabaho.

Malayo sa pagkalinga sa mga mamamayang Trans, pinagtitibay pa ng mga Estado at mga pandaigigang katawan ang panlipunang transphobia o ang di-maipaliwanag na takot at pagkamuhi sa mga taong transgender sa pamamagitan ng mga pagpapabaya at mga makikitid o reaksyonaryong pulitika:

Dahil sa kakulangan ng batas at ng panlipunan hustisya, ang mga trans sa maraming Estado sa mundo ang napipilitang mamuhay sa isang kasariang sadyang mali para sa kanila. Sa maraming bansa ang mga tangka upang baguhin ang sariling kasarian ay napupunta sa paghingi ng legal na pahintulot, malupit na pagtrato at panlipunang stigma o batik sa karangalan. Sa ibang bansa, ang anumang legal na pagkilala sa pagbabago ng kasarian ay mangangahulugan ng sterilization (pagkabaog) o kaya’y ibang klase ng operasyon sa katawan. Ang mga taong trans na hindi o ayaw pumayag na sumailalim rito ay hindi makakakuha ng legal na pagkilala sa kanilang napiling kasarian at mapipilitang magladlad sa tuwing sila ay tatawid ng isang border, sa tuwing mapapalapit sila sa isang patrol ng pulis, sa tuwing maghahanap ng panibagong trabaho, sa tuwing lilipat sa panibagong bahay o sa simpleng pagbili ng cellphone.

Ang mga salik na nakadaragdag sa ganitong sitwasyon ng mga Trans ay ang patuloy na pagtukoy ng mga pandaigdigang klasipikasyon sa kalusugan na ang mga taong Trans ay may “sakit” sa pag-iisip. Mapanglait at mali ang makalumang pagtinging ito na kadalasang ginagamit na basehan para sa pang-araw-araw na paninino at paglalagay-batik-karangalan sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay ng mga taong Trans.

Ngunit sa ngayon sa may ilang mga bansang may kakaibang pangkultural at panlipunang konteksto, mayroon na ring nagawang mahahalagang legal na mga pag-abanse. Kasunod ng mga mapangahas na mga hatol sa hukuman, ang pagkilos ng Estado ay nagbunga ng patuloy na pagtanggap sa lipunan para sa mga taong Trans. Ipinapakita rito na ang pag-unawa sa at pag-unlad ng isyu ukol sa mga Trans ay posible.

Sa kasalukuyan maraming Trans sa buong mundo ang tumitindig upang muling angkinin ang kanilang mga kalayaan at mga karapatang pantao. Dala nila ang nagkakaisang mensahe na hindi na nila muling tatanggapin ang pagtawag sa kanila bilang mga may sakit (sa pag-iisip) o ang di-makataong pagtrato dahil sa kanilang pagkakakilanlang pangkasarian (gender identity) at sa kanilang pagpapahayag na pangkasarian (gender expression).

At kung kaya’t hinihiling namin na:

- Tigilan ng W.H.O. ang pagtukoy sa mga taong Trans bilang may mga sakit sa pag-iisip at itaguyod ang sapat na pangagalagang pangkalusugan at suportang sikolohikal na nais ng mga taong Trans.

- Siyasatin ng mga sangay pangkarapatang pantao ng United Nations ang mga pang-aabusong kinakaharap ng mga taong Trans sa buong mundo at kumilos para sugpuin ang mga pangaabusong ito.

- Gamitin ng mga Estado at mga Bansa sa Mundo ang pang-internasyunal na mga Prinsipyo ng Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Principles) at tiyakin na lahat ng taong Trans ay magkamit ng kaukulang pangangalagang pangkalusugan, pati na ang gender reassignment o operasyon para sa pagpapalit-kasarian, kung kanilang nais; pahintulutang iayon ang estadong sibil / civil status sa napiling kasarian ng mga taong Trans; magkaroon ng panlipunan, pampamilya at propesyonal na mga buhay na hindi nahaharap sa paninino, diskriminasyon at krimeng kaugnay ng transphobia, at mabigyang proteksyon ng kapulisan at ng hustisya laban sa pisikal at di-pisikal na karahasan.

Nananawagan kami sa UN, sa W.H.O. at sa mga bansa sa mundo na gawin ang mga hakbang na nabanggit dito, na tanggihan ang transphobia, at tanggapin ang isang aspeto ng kalayaang pangkultural, ang karapatang mabuhay ng buo at malaya sa napiling kasarian.

[1] Tulad ng mga transpinay, bayot, bantut, at ilang bakla at tomboy sa Pilipinas, transvestite, transsexual, transgender at iba pang kultural na pagkakakilanlan (cultural identity) kaugnay ng pagdadamit at pamumuhay na may kinalaman sa pagbabago/pagpapalit ng kasarian (cross-gender dressing and living). Trans o transgender ang pandaidigan at pangkalahatang pantukoy sa mga taong namumuhay na iba ang pagkakakilanlang pangkasarian (gender identity). Mula sa Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), transpinay ang tawag sa mga babaeng galing sa Pilipinas at ipinanganak na mayroong aring panglalake.

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HK airport detains Filipina trans women

Saturday, September 20th, 2008

Dear friends,

It has recently come to the knowledge of the members of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) that it is now customary for Hong Kong (HK) immigration officials to detain Filipina transgender/transsexual (trans) women at the HK airport.

We have been receiving anecdotal evidence of various Filipina trans women who were approached by immigration officers while waiting in line to enter HK and asked to follow them to holding rooms. When the women asked why, the officers said it was a standard “security check.”

Once inside these “holding” areas, these trans women’s treatment varies. Some of them are outrightly accused of being prostitutes. One, in fact, suffered the inhuman experience of being strip searched. Some are held for hours without being informed of the reason for their detention; while some others have been asked to exit HK at once with no official document stating the reason why.

We are trying to document these cases because we fear that some kind of profiling is happening at the HK airport. These means that ALL Filipina trans women entering HK are immediately suspected of doing illegal activities in this Special Administrative Region (SAR)–a clear case of discrimination. Furthermore, these “security checks” are very arbitrary. There seems to be no standard process being followed in the detention and interview of these women and many of them are disrespected and treated inhumanely. The period of stay they are granted, if they are allowed to enter HK, varies as well from 2 days to 14, the standard maximum for tourists. The waiting time in the holding rooms is also inconsistent. Some are held for an hour or two while others are held for longer. And when let go, all trans women report of not having received documentation of their detention.

In this regard, we would like to ask your help in gathering information. If you know any trans woman who’s been to HK and experienced this indignity, please ask her to detail what happened to her. It will help if we get the following information:
1.  Name
2.  Age
3.  Profession/Student
4.  Date/s of entry to HK when you were asked to  go to the immigration office
5.  Time (if you still remember) of your arrival in HK
6.  Carrier you took to HK (CebuPac, PAL, Cathay, etc.) & Flight Number
7.  Purpose of your trip/s to  HK (tourism, business, conference,  study, etc.)
8.  Number of hours or minutes you were “detained”
9.  Other “complaints”

We are asking our trans women friends to be brave and come forward with their stories of illegal detention at the HK airport as we plan to bring this “unspoken rule” to the attention of the Chinese/HK embassy here in Manila. We are also appealing to our lawyer friends to provide us with legal advice on the matter. Also, if you have the contact details of Chinese/HK LGBT groups, activists, LGBT-friendly media, and anybody who you think can help us shed light on this issue and rectify it, please help us get in touch with them.


We will appreciate any help. Thank you very much. Together, let’s fight LGBT oppression.

In solidarity,

Dee Mendoza
Chair, Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP)
deemanila@yahoo.com
http://www.tsphilippines.com


Pau Fontanos
Secretariat, Ang Ladlad
pau.fontanos@angladlad.org
http://pinaytg.blogspot.com

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PEOPLE LIKE US: An Open Letter of a Transgender Woman in the Philippines

Sunday, May 25th, 2008

PEOPLE LIKE US

An Open Letter of a Transgender Woman in the Philippines

[25 May 2008 / Sunday / 6.04 AM to 6.45 AM]

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

– Eleanor Roosevelt

My friends and I have been made to feel inferior approximately five hours before I wrote this letter. I’d like to sweep this incident under the proverbial rug but there is no more space to accommodate it.

On the 24th of May 2008, my friends and I were celebrating the anniversary of our organization the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), the first transsexual women’s support group and transgender rights advocacy organization in the Philippines. We settled to celebrate it in Ice Vodka Bar, located in Greenbelt 3, 3rd level Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila. It was my first time in that bar. Two in our group have been there before and they had nothing bad to say about it.

There were five of us. I was leading the way. The bouncer stopped us. I asked why. His reason was we were dressed “inappropriately”. We were rather dressed decently, tastefully, and most importantly just like any other human being who lives her life as female 24 hours a day.

I asked for the manager. The bouncer was nice enough to let me in. The manager, Ms Belle Castro, accommodated me. I don’t know if I spelled her name right. I asked for a business card but she had none available. Her telling feature though was her braced teeth.

I complained. Ms Castro listened to me. I found her sympathetic, even respectful as she addressed me all throughout as ma’am. She told me the following:

1. (Referring to my friends, and obviously to me) That “people like them” aren’t allowed in our bar every Fridays & Saturdays;

2. That that was an agreement between all the bars in Greenbelt (she particularly mentioned their bar, Absinthe, and Café Havana) and Ayala Corporation, the company which owns the Greenbelt Complex;

3. That the reason for this policy is: “Marami kasing foreigner na nag-kocomplain at napepeke daw sila sa mga katulad nila.” Loosely translated in English: “There are lots of foreigners complaining because they mistake people like them as real women”; and

4. That they have a “choice” to implement the policy.

I felt terribly hurt and uncontrollably agitated. This transphobic act is not the first time that it happened to me, to my friends, to people like us. To say that this has become almost a routine is an understatement.

I have shouted at Ms Castro several times, asking her why I’m f***ing experiencing racism in my own country and what gave f***ing foreigners the right to demand to block people like us to enter bars in our very own country.

Ms Castro tried to hush me by pulling the “It’s our choice card” and asked me to talk decently. I am not proud at all of using the F-word as my intensifier and of letting my emotions ran raw and wild. My warm apologies to Ms Castro for losing my cool. Just like any of us, I know, she was just doing her job.

This may not be the proper forum to raise this concern. But is there any reliable legal forum to address this issue? Reality check: there is no antidiscrimination law in this country. And if you’re discriminated, there seems to be a notion that you’re supposed to blame yourself for bringing such an unfortunate event to yourself.

So, I’d just stand up through this open letter.

I am standing for myself. I am standing for people like us. I am standing up because I, am, very, tired of this incivility. We have long endured this kind of treatment for far too long. Enough.

I’ll not go as far as campaigning for a boycott as it is definitely the simple workers that would suffer from any loss in revenue such an act may cause.

People like us would like to be treated just like any other human being. Just like those foreigners who complained about our existence: With dignity.

You know the civilized and ethical thing to do: Stop discrimination in your establishments.

Bigotry is never ethical nor a sound business strategy.

Warmly,

Ms Sass Rogando Sasot

Sass is one of the founding members of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) [www.tsphilippines.com], an Associate Member of Transgender ASIA Research Centre, and a member of Ang Ladlad Party.

To have a dialogue with her regarding this incident, you may reach her at srsasot@… or through her mobile at +639276257010.

Diversity and Equality, Pass the Philippine Anti-Discrimination Bill Now!

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