Making Jersey’s LGBT community safer

Trans* Jersey met with the States of Jersey Police LGBT Community Liaison Officer, PC710 Emma Poulliquen, this week to discuss ways in which we could work together. The discussion was wide-ranging and included educational initiatives to keep young people safe; legislation changes and how the introduction of anti-discrimination laws will affect the community; what “best practice” guidelines might look like for the police, the prison and the hospital when dealing with trans* individuals; and how the police can help the LGBT community right now, before anti-discrimination legislation is brought in.

Although there will not be a law protecting trans* people from discrimination before September 2015, Emma informed me that the States of Jersey police take harassment and discrimination of LGBT islanders seriously, and will investigate reports of incidents from LGBT people who have experienced harassment and/or discrimination in the island. Don’t forget that prosecutions will be able to be brought retrospectively under the new anti-discrimination law, so lodging a report with the police now is a good idea if you think you might need to bring a case when the law comes into force.

The LGBT community liaison team can be contacted by email or visit www.jersey.police.uk where there will shortly be a page dedicated to their LGBT community liaison work.

19 May, 2014 Trans* Jersey

Liberate-Trans* Jersey affiliation

Trans* Jersey is very pleased to be able to announce that, as of today, we are affiliated to Liberate and are working with them on various issues, including their campaign to achieve equal marriage. Although Liberate are based in Guernsey and we are based in Jersey, both groups are of the opinion that our common aims make working together a sensible strategy to achieving legislative change in the islands.

Liberate is a Guernsey registered charity established in 2014 to include, inform and support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) community in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Liberate’s aims are as follows:

The purpose of Liberate is to educate and Inform on a wide range of LGBTQ issues and to support those who identify as LGBTQ, their families and friends.
We will campaign to reform some of Guernsey’s policies to ensure that LGBTQ people can enjoy the same freedoms as everyone else in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
We are hoping to question social attitudes and behaviours which discriminate against LGBTQ people, and offer advice and help in tackling homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, etc.
We will challenge the States of Guernsey and politicians on a wide range of current discriminatory laws and policies, to ensure that LGBTQ people will, one day, be treated equally.
Liberate is an inclusive Group, which welcomes people irrespective of or sexual orientation, gender identity, religious belief,race, gender or disability.

Liberate are currently campaigning to petition the chief ministers in Jersey and Guernsey to “End LGBTQ discrimination in the Channel Islands NOW!”. If you have not yet signed their petition, you can do so here.

Click Liberate’s logo below to find out more about who they are and what they do.

7 May, 20147 May, 2014 Trans* Jersey

Gender: a human right

You have a right to present yourself in the way in which you wish to be received – so does a transgender person.

How proud of your presentation are you? Do you take time over it? Transgender people should be able to be proud of their presentation too.

How far would you go to protect your right to present yourself how you want? Transgender people all over the world put their lives at risk for this right.

In 2012, at least 265 trans people were murdered (data from 29 countries only). In only 13 cases has any arrest been made. In at least 2 cases the murders were committed by the police. In 56 cases the victim’s name has not been recorded. (Source: TDoR, 2012)

70% of children who are uncertain about their gender are subject to bullying, 88% of transgender employees experience discrimination or harassment in their workplace, and there has been a recent rise in hate crime against transgender people of 14%. (Source: UK Home Office report, 2011)

41% of transgender people in the United States have attempted to commit suicide; more than 25 times the rate of the general population, which is 1.6 percent. (Source: National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2010)

These statistics are alarming for the friends and families of people coming out as trans. We hasten to add that trans* people in Jersey do not tend to experience bullying, discrimination or harassment on the same scale as elsewhere. Britain has a much better track record than most countries regarding crimes against LGBT people. Surrounding yourself with educated people who understand the importance of tolerance and diversity in a civilised society can also help to minimise a trans* person’s exposure to discriminatory behaviour.

20 April, 20143 May, 2014 Trans* Jersey

Trans* studies and reports

Studies and reports of relevance when considering anti-discrimination legislation –

GIRES report on trans mental health in the UK (2012)
TGEU and ILGA-Europe report highlights legal and healthcare issues in the EU (2012)
National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay & Lesbian Taskforce report on transgender discrimination in the USA (2011)
GIRES report on gender variance in the UK (2009)
The Equalities Review report on UK trans* people’s experiences of inequality and discrimination (2007)

19 April, 201431 May, 2014 Trans* Jersey

States of Jersey consultation on sex discrimination

The States of Jersey are currently asking for comments from the public on the next phase of the island’s discrimination legislation, so called sex discrimination. They have published a consultation paper, which can be downloaded here.

The next phase of the legislation is due to be debated later this year with a view to it becoming law in September 2015. The consultation process closes on 30 May 2014 and responses will be published on 29 August 2014.

The consultation paper outlines the main areas for debate:

Sex
Pregnancy and maternity
Sexual orientation
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership

Trans* Jersey is most interested in the States’ proposals for gender reassignment. We have therefore requested involvement in any forum convened by the States to discuss the proposed legislation.

We are concerned by a number of aspects of the States’ consultation document:

1. The adoption of the UK Equality Act as the model on which to base Jersey’s legislation. This Act has been in place for 4 years in the UK and campaign groups have highlighted a number of problems with it. The LGBT Consortium have called for a review of it and the Gender Recognition Act.

2. The language used in the document’s section on gender reassignment especially when talking about a person “completing” their transition.

3. The suggestion within the consultation that an exception should be made to permit discrimination against trans* people to occur in the case of “the provision of communal changing facilities or shared accommodation”.

4. The confusion of the term “sex” with “gender” throughout. Man/woman refers to a person’s gender. Male/female refers to person’s sex.

5. The assumption that there are only two sexes or genders.

Get involved

Whilst Trans* Jersey encourages you to complete the online survey, we would also like to receive your comments about the States’ proposal regarding gender reassignment discrimination.

We believe that by speaking together as a group of trans* islanders our comments on the consultation will carry more weight.

We therefore invite you to email us with your comments, suggestions, thoughts or concerns at admin@transjersey.org

Please let us know whether you would be interested in being involved in any face-to-face discussions with the States as part of a Trans* Jersey group.