A SOUTHERN Tasmanian woman has called upon Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin to lead the nation in showing support for transgender and intersex communities by instigating state-based legislative reform to allow for their needs.
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Transgender rights advocate Martine Delaney met Dr Goodwin in May last year to discuss issues faced by transgender and intersex Tasmanians.
She said members of those communities experienced unique problems in regards to marriage and their identification documents.
As the law stands, people who are married before transitioning are required to divorce their partner.
It was an issue faced by Ms Delaney before her partner died while attempting to save a drowning child.
‘‘It doesn’t affect a whole lot of transitioning transgender people in Tasmania, but it affects some, and their lives could be a hell of a lot easier if they were able to maintain their marriages and do that without destroying a legal relationship,’’ she said.
Ms Delaney said another difficulty faced by transgender and intersex Tasmanians related to their birth certificates.
People were unable to amend their birth certificates to reflect their gender without undergoing expensive and risky gender reassignment surgery, she said.
Ms Delaney said the law had the potential to create issues for those looking for employment.
‘‘Particularly in this post-apocalyptic 2001 world, you apply for a job and you live and present as a woman and you have to present a birth certificate and it says you’re a boy, it’s a hell of a way to start an interview,’’ she said.
‘‘It means people quite often avoid doing things like applying for jobs that require that identification.’’
Dr Goodwin said the government was aware of the issues faced by transgender and intersex Tasmanians.
‘‘We are mindful of the fact there are a range of issues that need to be addressed in relation to the way that the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act impacts on the recognition of transgender and intersex Tasmanians and the Department of Justice is assessing options and consulting with other jurisdictions in relation to this,’’ Dr Goodwin said.
‘‘There is a private members bill in relation to marriage certificates which has been tabled and the Government will consider this bill when it is brought on for debate.’’
Ms Delaney urged faster action.
‘‘It’s a relatively simple thing to change that legislation,’’ she said.
‘‘No state or territory has done that.
‘‘It would be nice for Vanessa to put us back at the forefront – we’ve fallen behind these days.’’