So last week the HREOC Forum to discuss their Gender Diversity Issues Paper was held in the ACT. I went along, and was really pleased that I did. I didn’t contribute much to the discussion during the forum, but I chatted to the HREOC peeps both before and after the forum, and plan on getting involved in their blog project.

I also had the opportunity to meet more of the local trans community. I had a chat to Zoe, and met a bunch of new t-boys, and was amazed at the number of people that came out of the woodwork for the event.

I found much of the discussion very enlightening. I am always interested to hear a bunch of different perspectives on the same issues that I struggle with day to day. There were trans people and intersex people, and intersex people who are also trans… there was a few people that identify as genderqueer, or third gender, as well as people who identified strongly with the gender binary.

I was pleased that although some of the people present appeared to be quite ignorant of non-traditional perspectives on gender and transition, at least no one pulled out the Genderqueer VS Traditional binary and tried to exclude anyone or nit pick about what defines ‘trans enough’.

When the discussion about trans as a choice came up, one very impassioned woman declared that its transition or death for *all* trans people. I found that very frustrating, and myself and Robbie let out twin sighs of annoyance (which I suppose the Commissioner heard, given he was sitting right next to us). There was also the discussion of whether trans is a kind of intersex condition, which it might well be.
The thing is, I have no objection to people declaring that for themselves there was no choice but transition or death. I know that before I knew I could transition that was how I felt… now I know a lot more about queer theory, and I think I could make do without transitioning, but its not an optimal choice, hence my decision to transition. I also have no objection to the idea that transsexuality may be a kind of intersex condition. I don’t think it matters whether it is or not, but the idea has merit.
You see, I consider my freedom to make choices my most sacred human right. I don’t want to be boxed in by these ideas of coercion, or feel like I’m making excuses for my identity…
“Oh, I’m trans, but only cos i have a medical condition… I wouldn’t *choose* to be like this.”
Logically if I wasn’t trans, I wouldn’t be transitioning. However, I am trans, and it does not matter *why* I am trans. What ever the cause of my transsexuality is, I am proud of it, it is part of who I am, and I do not need a medical condition to justify my identity.

This perspective is something that I think needs more attention in the HREOC report, because it is my right as a human being to express myself however I choose without justification to the Government, the Medical Establishment, the Trans or Queer communities, or anyone else for that matter.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to having more involvement in this project, and agitating for gender to be removed from birth certificates and other forms of identity documents altogether.