6/20/13

Transgender Canadian Requesting Sex-Designation Change Original Birth Certificate Shredded By Registrar

One Canadians request for her birth certificate sex designation change wasn't just rejected, it was shredded!
Source: chrismilloy.ca
Trans* people who were born in Ontario can apply to the Registrar General’s Office (part of the Ontario Ministry of Government Services) to have the Sex designation on their Birth Certificate changed to reflect their Gender Identity. At least, they can try.

Information from within the Registrar General’s office, which I have obtained from a reliable source, reveals that of the first 213 applications received since the surgical requirement was officially dropped (between October 5th 2012 and May 24th 3013), only 96 have been approved. 117, more than half, have been rejected.

Most were returned due to “outstanding requirements.” So what are the requirements, really, and why are so many applicants having trouble meeting them?

For one thing, a Doctor’s note is still a requirement, it says so on the cover page of the form. But, ambiguously, after stating this requirement, the forms then follow with a section called ”alternate evidence” which suggests that it might not be an absolute requirement… Although unhelpfully, they are not at all specific with examples for what will suffice (and have even been known to reject applications for no good reason at all).

Read the rest of the story at chrismilloy.ca

Transgender Kenyan Awarded $2,332 For Police Publicly Stripping and Humiliating Her


 "I AM not ashamed to be a woman!"

Identity Kenya reports that those were Alexander Ngungu Nthungi’s words after Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi declared that police violated her rights and dignity by stripping her naked to ascertain her sexual identity.

“The judgment has given me renewed hope; I will no longer have the fear of being a woman. Now I am free and I feel those like me having transgender problems should come out and fight for their rights,” said Ms. Nthungi during an interview with the Nation on Wednesday.

By her side was Andrew Mbugua, who has been engaged in a running legal battle to be officially recognised as a woman and be known as Audrey Mbugua.

In January 2011, Nthungi was at work in her grocery shop in Thika town, dressed like a woman when she was arrested and taken to Makongeni Police Station for questioning over claims of assaulting another woman.

While at the station and in the full glare of the media, an officer stripped her naked claiming they wished to identify her gender.

The Nation reports that although transgender Kenyans have won a victory immense work lays ahead.

On the outcome of Nthungi’s case, Audrey Mbugua founder of Transgender Kenya said: “Although we are happy about the judgment, the judge should have compelled the police to offer a public apology. Sometimes it’s not about being compensated with money but being recognised as human.”

Their lawyer, Mr Daniel Wokabi, said transgender persons should be classified as “a special need group” so that their rights to dignity are respected.

“Issues of transgender ought to be dealt with a lot of caution and restraint. They are human and people should appreciate the pain they undergo in trying to identify with another gender,” Mr Wokabi said.

The Constitution, he said, recognises the rights and dignity of such people.

He urged individuals having the same problem to come out in the open to have the issues resolved in line with the Constitution without fear of public perception.