Focus: The Identity Trust is pleased to announce that Our Trans Manifesto is to be formally launched at Stormont!
Our Trans Manifesto will be launched by a Junior Minister from the N.I Executive in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Wednesday 2nd July.
Invites to this direct-invitation only launch have just gone out and we are delighted with the response and support so far.
Further details on the launch will be posted here on our website, keep checking back for updates.
Details on Our Trans Manifesto
As the only All-Island organisation representing and supporting transgender and intersex individuals, Focus: The Identity Trust recently launched this Manifesto in order to lobby all political parties to push for the inclusion of transgender equality as part of their party manifestos and asking them to sign up to and adopt to its priorities.
Response was immediate and positive from a number of politicians and parties, including (pictured left)
Martina Anderson MEP,
Jim Nicholson MEP, and
Anna Lo, MLA.
Focus developed this All-Island Trans Manifesto following the success of our recently launched National Trans Manifesto, developed by us in collaboration with other leading transgender organisations such as GIRES, Scottish Trans.org, Gendered Intelligence, and The Gender Trust.
“Transgender rights is a cross-party issue which needs government support. These proposals, if acted upon, will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of many transgender individuals.”
What’s in Our Trans Manifesto?
You can read our Trans Manifesto in full here.
Our Trans Manifesto has agreed three core statements, and calls for all political parties;
- to commit to promoting diverse, representative, realistic and positive portrayals of Transgender individuals,
- to empowering Transgender individuals to be the authority on all aspects of their own lives,
- to encourage society to treat Transgender individuals with dignity and respect and to regard them as equal citizens with equal rights.
Two specific requests have been made of political parties;
- A commitment to include positive images of transgender individuals in all Central Government publications to increase visibility
- A commitment to the speedy introduction of Human Rights based Gender Recognition legislation across the whole of Europe, which is independent of any necessity to fulfill any medical requirements or to undergo any medical procedures
Whilst making two specific requests our real hope is that politicians of all parties will subscribe to a fundamental shift in the way transgender people are viewed, and that by ensuring that all policy decisions are viewed through these three statements, the inequalities that transgender people still face will start to be naturally eliminated.
