State stalling on gender issues

Transgender persons are still being denied legal recognition of their true identity, writes Tanya Ní Mhuirthile

TODAY marks the anniversary of the first meeting of the Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG), established by the FF/Green government “to advise the Minister for Social Protection on the legislation required to provide for legal recognition of the acquired gender of transsexuals”.

The absence of such recognition results in discrimination and infringement of the basic human rights of transgender people (those whose gender identity/expression differs from the sex recorded at birth). The formation of the GRAG signified an important step towards protecting the human rights of transgender people. The GRAG first met on May 6, 2010; a report was expected within six months. Still we wait.