Law on Gender Identity in URGENT need!
31/10/2009
Submitted by
Anonymous
Dear Sir,
Portraying a little reality, about Portugal in relation to the Transexual community
I would like to voice my concern, about a URGENT need of a Law on Gender Identity in Portugal! Since the death of Gisberta in 2006 and another death of Luna in 2008, nothing has been done to create public awareness, to what are Transexuals and what they have to go through everyday to affirm their right to basic human life. Discrimination is rampant, and much of the media still, when shown, portrays these persons as sexual workers. They also create a lot of confusions between transvestites and transexuals (treating them as the same types of people or alternating always between one and the other creating public confusion and missinformation, instead of explaining that they are totally different fom one another). They portray the idea, that they are deviants of society, that should be rigidly excluded. Sometimes, seen as mental pacients which do not bring any help whatsoever to their already enormous dailly battle! No laws exist at the moment, and therefore many tend to live in hiding, unable to openly assume themselves in society, and if in need of medical or law support very little is achievable in this regard. Most who seek this with much difficulty, are humiliated and ashamed, sometimes in front of others.
Most Transexuals here, although they have lots of difficulties socially, economically, medically and etc. try to live a normal daily life, although most of them unable to do so, as they do not have their documents portraying their real self, suffering more humiliation and exclusion from society, labour and etc. Many can only therefore, earn a living on the streets, sometimes also abandoned by their loved families which do not understand, and if they do, many do not have any way to help! And what is more worrying, is the fact that, the few people who try to help this individuals, are viewed and put against many barriers of all forms and aspects.
I ask, that a Gender Identity Law be implemented as soon as possible (URGENT), so as to avoid more tragedies as above, that are unreported on this country, because of fear of discrimination on all sorts of the spectrum. These persons need to be treated and have rights as any other person. These are fundamental needs of this minorities of minorities, that are not guilty for feeling or having been born this way, and at the end, need to live the gender that they were born to be, but for long have been denied this right, most fundamental to human life and expression, without causing any impact or problems to others in our society. They need to live without fear in Liberty and Dignity, in a Society which understands and treats them EQUALY to any other human being!
While a Law does not come to protect these individuals, they will continue to live day after day in a limbo, as for this country they do not exist, and some individuals like myself, will show a few realities. Basic Human Rights here can be for some, but the minorities are always put aside and forgot for some reason.
Portraying a little reality, about Portugal in relation to the Transexual community
I would like to voice my concern, about a URGENT need of a Law on Gender Identity in Portugal! Since the death of Gisberta in 2006 and another death of Luna in 2008, nothing has been done to create public awareness, to what are Transexuals and what they have to go through everyday to affirm their right to basic human life. Discrimination is rampant, and much of the media still, when shown, portrays these persons as sexual workers. They also create a lot of confusions between transvestites and transexuals (treating them as the same types of people or alternating always between one and the other creating public confusion and missinformation, instead of explaining that they are totally different fom one another). They portray the idea, that they are deviants of society, that should be rigidly excluded. Sometimes, seen as mental pacients which do not bring any help whatsoever to their already enormous dailly battle! No laws exist at the moment, and therefore many tend to live in hiding, unable to openly assume themselves in society, and if in need of medical or law support very little is achievable in this regard. Most who seek this with much difficulty, are humiliated and ashamed, sometimes in front of others.
Most Transexuals here, although they have lots of difficulties socially, economically, medically and etc. try to live a normal daily life, although most of them unable to do so, as they do not have their documents portraying their real self, suffering more humiliation and exclusion from society, labour and etc. Many can only therefore, earn a living on the streets, sometimes also abandoned by their loved families which do not understand, and if they do, many do not have any way to help! And what is more worrying, is the fact that, the few people who try to help this individuals, are viewed and put against many barriers of all forms and aspects.
I ask, that a Gender Identity Law be implemented as soon as possible (URGENT), so as to avoid more tragedies as above, that are unreported on this country, because of fear of discrimination on all sorts of the spectrum. These persons need to be treated and have rights as any other person. These are fundamental needs of this minorities of minorities, that are not guilty for feeling or having been born this way, and at the end, need to live the gender that they were born to be, but for long have been denied this right, most fundamental to human life and expression, without causing any impact or problems to others in our society. They need to live without fear in Liberty and Dignity, in a Society which understands and treats them EQUALY to any other human being!
While a Law does not come to protect these individuals, they will continue to live day after day in a limbo, as for this country they do not exist, and some individuals like myself, will show a few realities. Basic Human Rights here can be for some, but the minorities are always put aside and forgot for some reason.
