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Transgender Day of Remembrance – Trans Deaths Ignored
Today being Remembrance Day, my thoughs have turned to our sisters who travel the path of suicide.
Following is a post from ACON I hope everybody reads & thinks about.
http://www.acon.org.au/about-acon/Newsroom/Media-Releases/2010/transgender-remembrance
Transgender Australians have rates of suicide at least 14 higher than the rest of the population.
“We need to honour not only trans people who die as a direct result of physical violence, but also the many trans people who have suicided as a response to not being able to live as who they are without facing harassment, vilification, isolation and distress. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is a call to end the transphobia that damages and ends so many people’s lives. It is, however, also a reminder of the inspiring resilience of so many gender diverse people who live lives of dignity and joy in the face of continuing discrimination”, said Gabi Rosenstreich, Executive Director of the National LGBT Health Alliance.
On November 20th each year we pay our respects to transgender people who have been murdered around the world. Members of the National LGBT Health Alliance will be among those hosting and participating in a range of events to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance, including for example an address by Transgender Victoria representative, Sally Goldner, to the Melbourne Equal Love Rally.
Transgender people have significantly higher rates of suicidality than any other group of Australians. Studies from comparable nations report up to 47% of transgender people have previously attempted suicide. Even these figures are likely to be underestimates as many who suicide have not disclosed their gender identity to others. These extraordinary rates of depression, distress, self harm and suicide are not related to gender identity as such, but to experiences of discrimination and social isolation, and barriers to service access.
Evidence also suggests that suicidality is also likely to be significantly higher among intersex people than the rest of the Australian population, however there is limited published data.
“Despite the shocking evidence of people dying, transgender Australians continue to be excluded from suicide prevention policies and programs” said Sally Goldner, Spokesperson for Transgender Victoria. “They talk about high risk groups, but ignore the group that appears to have the very highest vulnerability”“The consistent exclusion of trans people in suicide prevention policy, programs and research contributes to their deaths. Suicide is a loss for individuals, families and friends but also for the whole of Australian society. Imagine if all trans people could just get on with living their lives true to themselves and fully participating in society. Australia would be richer for it.” said Gabi Rosenstreich.
Coincidentally 20th November also marks the final day of the 4th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association for Suicide Prevention. The conference includes two workshops addressing issues faced by sex and gender diverse people, presented by the National LGBT Health Alliance. Gabi Rosenstreich: “While it is disappointing that the suicide prevention conference program does not appear to contain more presentations with a specific focus on issues facing trans and intersex people, this reflects the lack of work being done in the area. It’s great that we have this opportunity to draw attention to it. The Alliance has also worked with Suicide Prevention Australia to encourage LGBTI people to participate in the conference so I hope that we will be able to raise these issues in discussions too.”
The National LGBT Health Alliance has been in discussion with the Federal Department of Health and Ageing on the need for inclusion of transgender and intersex people in suicide prevention policy and initiatives and presented to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry into suicide in Australia. LGBTI issues were included in the Committee’s final report, The Hidden Toll. It is expected that the Minister of Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon. Mark Butler, will respond to The Hidden Toll, when he speaks to this week’s Suicide Prevention Conference.
Some progress has been made this year with the government’s July commitment to improving community-led suicide prevention services targeted at high-risk groups, the May announcement of a working group to consider the legal recognition of sex, and Labor’s pre-election commitment to introduce federal laws to protect Australians from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. “These commitments are good first steps, but they need to be followed by actions and worked on in partnership with community groups. While they delay, more trans people are dying.” said Gabi Rosenstreich“In addition, the lack of commitment to government funding for the National LGBT Health Alliance, means that from 2011 it will be much harder for us to continue our work on a national level and contribute to the inclusion of trans and intersex people in policy and program development. We are currently funded entirely by community raised money and that is running out.”
“Transgender people, their families, friends, partners and colleagues are everywhere. It’s therefore time for action everywhere.” said Sally Goldner.ENDS
For more information or you would like to arrange an interview, please contact:
Gabi Rosenstreich, Executive Director, National LGBT Health Alliance
M: 0437 876 824 E: info@lgbthealth.org.auSally Goldner, Spokesperson, Transgender Victoria
M: 0407946242 E: enquiries@transgendervictoria.comBackgroundTransgender Day of Remembrance:
20 November 1999 trans activists marked the first anniversary of the murder of trans woman Rita Hester in the United States. Since then annual events have been held around the world to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance, honouring the trans people who have been killed due to due to transphobic hatred or prejudice. See http://www.transgenderdor.org and http://www.gender.org/remember/day/
The National LGBT Health Alliance: The national peak body of over 100 organisations and individuals from across Australia that provide programs, services and research aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people. See http://www.lgbthealth.org.au. Prior to the 2010 Federal Election, the Alliance surveyed the major parties on a range of issues, including the health and wellbeing of sex and gender diverse people. See http://www.lgbthealth.org.au/election2010
4th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association for Suicide Prevention: 17-20 November 2010, Brisbane. See http://www.suicideprevention2010brisbane.org. Gabi Rosenstreich is presenting a pre-conference workshop on Intercultural Suicide Prevention, which will include a section on LGBTI people, and a further workshop on Inclusive Practice: Reducing Barriers to Sexuality, Sex and Gender Diversity.
Legal Recognition of Sex: The Australian Human Rights Commission released its report: Sex Files: the legal recognition of sex in documents and government records in March 2009. It confirms the detrimental impact of current policies and practices on the health and wellbeing of sex and gender diverse Australians and contains recommendations for improving the system for legally recognizing sex identity. Government has not yet responded to the report, although it announced the formation of a working group at the Health in Difference 2010 LGBTI Health Conference in April 2010. See http://www.hreoc.gov.au/genderdiversity/index.html
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NSW State Parliament – Waratah Room, 4pm-6pm
Friday, 18th NovemberSunday, 20th November is
International Transgender Day of Remembrance
