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Kia ora everyone. Uh, we're gonna get underway in a little bit, but before we do that, we're gonna do one minute of silence for all the trans people who have been, have their lives destroyed by transphobia and are no longer with us. Uh, so we will start that now.[00:00:30] Thank you everyone. Kia ora everyone. Korako tukungua. I'm just gonna open us up with a karakia. Whakataka hau ki te uru. Whakataka and whoever wants to join me. is welcome to. Whakatakati hau ki te uru. Whakatakati hau ki te tōnga. Kia maa ki te uruta. Kia maa tara, [00:01:00] tara ki tai. E heiake ana. Te ātā kura hitio. Welcome everyone. [00:01:30] Um, we're all gathered here today. Show our support for better trans healthcare and our opposition to the current regime. Um, so we're going to go through some tikanga to make sure that we all stay safe and stay together. Um, first of all, we ask that everyone wears masks, um, so that we can look after each other. Um, obviously, if you're unable to wear a mask for health reasons, that is understandable. Um, this, one thing to keep in mind, this is a peaceful protest. Under [00:02:00] no circumstances will violence, hate speech, or vandalism be tolerated. Um, we also ask people when speaking or chanting not to use slurs of any kind. Um, If you want to refer to yourself as queer, that's okay, but please refrain from using other slurs in case they're triggering for other people. Um, if people try and mess with us, we ask that we don't engage in messing with them back. Um, don't try and ramp things up and cause a confrontation. [00:02:30] Just decelerate and stay together as well. If things get really bad and we have to.. Disperse, make sure that you leave peacefully, um, and don't leave alone. If you can help it, leave with other people, so that you can all look after each other. Um, and when we are walking, we ask that our trans elders, trans women and tangata irawhiti are at the front so they can be visible. Um, that is all of the [00:03:00] housekeeping that I have today. So I will hand it over to Willow to give us their speech. Kia ora, can everyone hear me okay? Awesome. Um, before I say anything, I do want to acknowledge that Maori never ceded sovereignty, um, and we are on stolen land right now. Uh, Ko Willow here in Tuka Ikoa, Ko Kai Tahu Tuka Iwi, He Whakawahini a Hau. I just want to say first and foremost, thank you all for coming out to Hikoi today. This all started with me sending a text to Kate and Tipler, co ordinated for the [00:03:30] Tamaki protest about my hopes for a display of our communities and needs for equitable care. And while this is my first time publicly advocating for this kaupapa, it has stood close to my heart since the early days of my transition at 15. Today would not be realized without the mahi behind the scenes from so many individuals across the board and the fight for our rights that was started by our elders long before most of us were even born. It is a tragedy that we have to stand here today in the first place. So to those who are no longer with us, I am so sorry you were not met with the aroha you deserved. You live on and we are gathered here today not [00:04:00] just as a community that faces disproportionate suicide statistics and violence but rather a community of fighters, survivors, teachers and healers ready to pave the way for our tamariki. I'd accorded over someone recently, Felix, about what is good enough in understanding another person and their experiences, and what that may look like. For example, we can never understand completely why one person favors blue over red, or pineapple versus no pineapple on pizza, but we can arrive at a threshold of good enough. This good enough carries a simple sentiment. [00:04:30] I may not understand you, but I respect you. I respect that you may like the color blue because your father did, or maybe you have a pineapple allergy, or maybe the color red triggers a primal response. It does not matter. I don't understand the exact nature of why you are the way you are, but I don't need to. I hear you, I believe you, and I think this is good enough. But as we can tell, this wānaka, unfortunately, is not about pizza toppings, or colours, or cosmetic superficial requests. We are here to demand, not ask, demand that we are listened to. So this [00:05:00] brings me to, this brings me to what does good enough look like in the context of trans healthcare. To me, good enough looks like tino rangatiratanga. In consultation with Takara Ivarapiti. To me, good enough looks like having access to life saving surgeries without question. To me, good enough looks like not having one more trans child lying awake at night, questioning if it would be easier for them to take their own life, rather than seek refuge in our broken healthcare system. We will never see a good enough when our rights are treated as casual debate topics, and our [00:05:30] bodies are the punchlines in the morning news. It is no surprise that this constant politicizing of our bodies has led to a health system that treats trans and rāwhitakata as disposable. I am 17 years old. As it currently stands, the requirement for gender affirming surgery is 18. And with a wait list of 12 years, need I tell you it was down from a century. The earliest age I will ever have access to a surgery that makes me feel at home in my body is 30. I will repeat, I am 17. And this is best case [00:06:00] scenario. I'm also considered one of the lucky ones. I was able to start puberty blockers three months after my first GP visit. After extensive psychological evaluation, of course. I have friends who have waited upwards of two years for this exact same medicine. Two years of heartache knowing you could stop the wrong puberty, if only. Two years of questioning, evaluating, criticizing, and interrogation from who is meant to be our medical professionals. I would not wish this excruciating, tedious, traumatic experience on anyone. No one should have to feel [00:06:30] unsafe in their own body, but this is the reality of being a trans youth in our country. Therefore, I will not sit back and watch our government kick their feet up and pat themselves on the back for their pathetic attempts at delivering resilient, accessible trans healthcare pathways for my community. A wait list of 12 years is nothing short of a death sentence. Neglecting our rural and socio economically dispositioned communities is violence, and the lack of iwi consultation in our healthcare pathways is not in line with Te To all [00:07:00] cis wānaka. Because we do not have the privilege to turn our day to day reality on and off. We need your allyship more than ever. Enchanting trans women are women is no longer acceptable. We cannot continue on like this. Our elders did not fight like hell for us to accept breadcrumbs. To our government, hear us now and hear us clear. We demand systemic change. We demand engaging with and listening to our community. Because as it stands, this is not, and never will [00:07:30] be, good enough. He iti te mokaroa, nā nā i kāte, kāhatia, māna takahatui, māna i rāwhiti, māna whakawahini. Kia ora, thank you for having me, and thank you for coming out today. Kia ora Willow. Um, can I now ask Ashton to come to the mic? Kia ora, [00:08:00] it's Ifano. Ang pagalan ko ay Ashton. Mananggaling At ngayon, masayang masayako. My name is Ashton. I was born in the Philippines. AFAB. My pronouns are he, they, sometimes she. Non binary, trans masc. And right now, I am really happy. It all began on the 21st of December, 2021. This was my birthday, and at this point in my time on this planet, I was having too many breakdowns and episodes regarding my dysphoria. Sorry if I cry. It stopped me [00:08:30] leaving the house. It stole my joy in too many moments. My anxiety and depression grew bigger than it ever has, so as a gift to myself, on my birthday, I started the daunting but exciting process of my Give a Little page. Throughout the months, the idea of finally getting my mastectomy pushed me forward and actually made me excited to think about living for the first time in a long time. When I moved to Te Whanganui a Tara, my intention was to work hard and save money, as my give a little page wasn't looking hopeful. I worked so hard [00:09:00] every day in a physically exhausting job for 40 hours per week to save money, and yet this was still not enough. In this economy, I thought I could save and be able to fund my trip to surgery to Thailand at the end of the year. Knowing I could not afford it in Aotearoa or even the thought of being on the waiting list scared me for my life and only recently finding out this has been paused in Te Whanganui a Tara. I tried every avenue to save money, considering sex work, selling everything I own. My mental health and a couple of relationships suffered in [00:09:30] 2022 through the process of scrambling for money and never getting the stress this had on me. I sacrificed those knowing that I had to live. I had to find the day. It was nearing the date I'd set for top surgery in Thailand. At this point, I was thinking of selling everything, my van, all my instruments, myself, just to get rid of the dysphoria my chest gave me. Luckily, my platonic partner, Nontha, always said if my plans didn't succeed, they would have my back. We got to the point where I had to ask for help, finally.[00:10:00] Through all that struggle, a year's worth of scrambling money and resources from friends, phano, from my income, I finally gathered enough money to go to Thailand. Fast forward to arriving in Thailand, anxiety was heightened, and not going to, not even knowing if you were going to be safe, in a clinic I'd never been before. I want to add, I was meant to have a support person in Thailand, but their mental health threw them back, so I went to Thailand by myself. Um, this was one of the most difficult decisions I had to make, because I knew not having a [00:10:30] support person post top surgery was very important. On 18th of December, 2022, I finally had my top surgery. And I thought, thank you, thank you, I'll show you, I'll show you later, ha ha ha, probably shouldn't show it here, um, and I thought, here comes the hard part. Luckily, before I went to surgery, I was very, very prepared and the hotel I was staying in for a week, I made sure everything I needed access to, I could grab with my T Rex arms. Including clothes, [00:11:00] food, medicine, lots of chocolate milk. I was scared that recovery would be really hard, and even with all the organization, recovery was really hard. Especially not having anyone there. Even just to hold me after surgery. And this again, I want to emphasize that if I had surgery in Aotearoa, I would have had my community to hold me, but I didn't. I had the surgery on the 18th of December, three days later was my birthday and I knew I was going to be alone and I was, and even though I could say that I went through it, [00:11:30] I did it. I could do things on my own. I would have really enjoyed a hug. I would have really enjoyed someone to shout at me. I did it on my own, but I would have really enjoyed some physical touch in those very emotional and physical vulnerable moments. Four days after that was Christmas, New Year's. I was by myself. So three days of the year, I usually was surrounded by my loved ones. I was by myself. I knew I made this choice. I could have postponed it, but it was a life and death situation for me. One thing that I could really say [00:12:00] that got me through all those days in isolated and recovery was touching my chest and feeling really grounded. Every time, I may have been alone, but this is the biggest gift I could have given to myself. I fought for this. But it doesn't have to be this way. If gender affirming healthcare was more accessible, it didn't have to be that way. And it makes me really hopeful to think about a future where our trans youth and gender non conforming pupils have access to this. If that could exist, [00:12:30] and I don't think the people, the government, and medical professionals are taking this seriously. And Aotearoa transgender people are twice as likely to attempt suicide than cisgender people. Transmental health matters. Transgender affirming healthcare is a life and death situation. Wedding lists kill. So all I want to say through my journey, where I am now. I'm only 7 weeks post op. I went for my first swim 2 weeks ago. Woo! I'm [00:13:00] still very privileged to have had a mastectomy. Even though it was hard and I suffered to still have had these connections and community and a physically able body. I'm still aware of my privileges. And not everyone has these privileges. And I mourn for the people who don't. I'm hopeful that they would listen to us. I'm hopeful that one day I will see a world where that would exist. I was having a corridor with my other partner, Bug, about what heaven looks like to me. And what heaven looks like to me is a community of trans and gender non conforming [00:13:30] people thriving, not just surviving. Surgery scars to mark our happiness and journeys. Laughter through the wars we've had to fight to exist. Um, trans kids playing, not having to worry about fitting in. Emotions shed into the open. And safe spaces and colors everywhere. My future kids, trans kids, trans adults, and elders, being free to grow and heal, together. This is what heaven looks like to me. Before I go, I do want to [00:14:00] say, thank you to my community, who was, who was always with me every step of the way, overseas. I don't know where I would be without you. Find your community. They will get you through. Also, trans cuties, I see you. I feel you. You are creating a world that never existed before. You are creating a world where life is possible. You are creating a world where there are no limits. To your happiness and mine. Keep doing you, keep shining. Aroha nui, ngā mihi for having me on [00:14:30] this stage. It's been an honor and a pleasure. Thank you. That was amazing. Um, we have, hi vis vests have arrived. Um, so, marshals will be wearing these orange hi vis vests. If you are feeling unsafe, For any reason, or worried about something, um, approach a marshal wearing an [00:15:00] orange hi vis vest. Um, Now I'm going to open the floor, um, Many of you will have had some horrible experiences trying to get health care through the system And we ask that anyone who feels comfortable doing so and you are welcome to come and share your experiences Speak to your community and we just ask that no one uses slurs other than referring to themselves as queer Or incites hatred in any way, which I trust that you all want [00:15:30] Um, so if anyone would like to come and speak, um, just in English. Kia ora koutou, my name is Charlie Prout. So, um, I had a very interesting journey in order to be able to get any sort of gender affirming healthcare. So, when I was 17, I went to my GP. I was like, so this was 11 years ago? 12 years ago? And.. I started discussing being able to, being able to access healthcare.[00:16:00] Mainly hormones is what I was interested in. And he referred me to an adolescent psychologist at hospital. This person had no experience of dealing with gender diverse people at all. Um, I recently, or a few years ago, I got my notes. And throughout the sessions, she continuously misgendered me, didn't understand diverse sexualities, any of that. She told me I basically couldn't get healthcare in New Zealand, and I had British citizenship, and advised me to move to Scotland. [00:16:30] I then moved to Scotland, 18, as a way of thinking I could get healthcare. They had a wait list of a year. She refused to refer me to the gender clinic. There's one, at that point in time, there was one gender clinic in Scotland. Which she then, it took months for me to get her to refer me to that clinic. By that time, I'd told my parents and they'd bought me a flight home. I came back to New Zealand, I was 18, I was 19. [00:17:00] And I again, went back to my GP. No idea about how to get gender affirming healthcare. No idea how to get hormones or get any of it. So then, referred me to Rainbow Youth, not a Wellington based organization, who then referred me to Transform, who thankfully referred me to Marnie Mitchell, who was able to get me into the endocrine clinic, and through that was able to get hormones. However, since that time, that the gender clinic, well, sorry, [00:17:30] the endocrine clinic at Wellington Hospital has forced psych assessments. Why should anybody have to get a psych assessment to get gender affirming healthcare that is reversible? So, in my books, so, and then, um, I, I am here where I am now, solely because I got in, I was able to get access through Evolve, and my nurse, I would say she saved my life. Right? And this is why healthcare should be based on informed [00:18:00] consent, and especially for trans mass people, if they want hormones. Their nurses can be the mental health support. You have to see them once a week. This you have a system where You have potentially somebody doing a psych assessment or something, but it's more your nurse checking in with you So you can and and being that support This is the direction that we should be going in for GPs being able to Provide hormones, and, and do [00:18:30] that. The other thing that's really kind of worrying to me, is the inconsistencies across the country. And the lack of information. So, I know Wellington has, um, so I was very lucky to get top surgery, and it was funded through Bowen Trust. Bowen Trust no longer funds top surgery because they had too much demand. Um, a big thing for me, would be.. People being able to access, so I think there's a lack of capability and capacity in the system. So there are surgeons who can do top surgery. There is not enough [00:19:00] money for them to be able to do it. That's what we need. Hutt Hospital is one of the best plastics place in the country. Why don't they do top surgery? They did for a little bit, and this is the problem is there's massive inconsistency in the system where they tell people they do it for a little bit, everybody rushes in, and there's just not this want to do it. So.. I say, informed consent healthcare, increase capacity and funding, and people should be able to go to their GP without being worried about [00:19:30] being misgendered. And the other thing is, sort out the fucking health systems, like the IT systems, so that when you update your gender with one place, it doesn't, um, it then updates all of them. So that you don't end up in an awkward situation like I had the other day where my NHI number hasn't been updated. So, I couldn't get a script, or I couldn't get a blood test for something, because there was an incongruity with the system, so that, um, the medtech system said male, but the [00:20:00] IT system said female, so it wouldn't print it out. Real basic things, they just need to give us more money to be able to do it. Good morning everyone. My name is Lilial. I am nearly 40 now and I'm a trans woman living in Wellington. And it has been 10 years of constant struggle dealing with a health system that just [00:20:30] does not have the money, does not have the care to get the health care I need. I got incredibly lucky and hormone replacement therapy was fairly easy for me, but That was straight luck. Everything else has just been struggle. I've been dealing with a doctor, lovely doctor, but he just doesn't know how to do things, what needs to be done, what the processes are, for a referral system that's never going to get me treatment in any reasonable time anyway. Willow was just talking about [00:21:00] the wait list, and the fact that that's come down. I will be nearly 50 by the time I get to the head of that wait list. If I get to the head of that wait list ever. If I can even get on the wait list. It is a system that does not work. It's been failing people for decades and it must change. Trans rights are human rights. Thank you. Thank you.[00:21:30] Welcome. Kia ora koutou. My name is Gwentian Margaret Saran Davies. I am a registered nurse. My journey to gain transition. Took four years. I was living in Dunedin. I came out to my GP. Who.. Let's refer you to [00:22:00] mental health services. Because we think you're crazy. I am not crazy. I know who I am. It then took two years before I saw a psychologist. Because I thought that this was the way. This was a lie. Informed consent is the way forward. Let me just take a breather, because this is getting a bit much. Um, from there, I saw a psychologist, not once, not twice, but three times. [00:22:30] Session one, I am trans. Session two, yup, still trans. Third time, still trans. I have that psychologist's report letter to this day with spelling inconsistencies, misgendering. This is from a health professional. Fast forward. To me moving back here to lovely Wellington. [00:23:00] I studied my master's degree in nursing, um, at Victoria University Wellington, Te Heranga Waka. Fantastic rainbow support, but.. Student health is not enough. A so called expert denied me for a while in order for me to get my, what I need, my hormones. Even when I presented evidence, peer reviewed, um, peer reviewed and researched for why I should be [00:23:30] on Zolidex. which is a hormone blocker and, um, progesterone to boost my transition, I was denied. I was infantilized and unlistened to whilst also studying and having health degrees. Even those who have them are not listened to. That leads me to my graduation. I am a registered nurse and I work for MHAIDS. Tell me what you want, and I will advocate for you. [00:24:00] I am loud and proud in my role as a health professional. Be loud. Welcome. Thank you. Um, Kyra Kartov, uh, my name is Vera [00:24:30] Ashbourne, and I'm, I'm a trans woman, she, her, and I'm speaking here for the International Bolshevik Tendency. We're here today to demand change to the system of trans healthcare in New Zealand. Every trans person here will have a story to tell about how desperately this change is needed. You've heard some, and you will hear more. The system is rife with pointless gatekeeping, endless referrals, invasive psychological questioning, ignorance, delays, and [00:25:00] discrimination. I was lucky with my HRT, and by that I mean I'm affluent and white. And it only took me seven months, only seven months from application to actually getting my, my first dose. I know people who've had to wait twice that or longer. I know people who've faced ridicule by doctors for showing up. Or who've had to start the whole process again because their paperwork has been lost in a clerical accident by the DHB. And this is just in and [00:25:30] around Wellington. In the regions it's even worse. The present model of healthcare is failing us, that's plain to see. And it's failing us on purpose. All these delays and all this gatekeeping are meant to address cis anxieties about trans people, not trans needs. We have to suffer and die because they think transition should be hard or else more people will want it. Fuck that. We need a total [00:26:00] We need a total overhaul of the healthcare system to put trans autonomy and needs front and center. We need trans people to be involved in setting the standards for our own care, not just as patients, but as equals and experts. We call for full, free, and fast trans healthcare on demand. And would that healthcare were our only problem. Trans people are systematically discriminated against in the workplace and the home. [00:26:30] Our lives are scarred and too often cut short by poor mental health, poverty, homelessness, abuse, sexual assault, and physical violence. Improving the condition of trans people will take more than just better health care. It will take a protracted struggle against discrimination, homelessness, poverty, and violence, and the establishment of a system of social support that will allow us independence. from the family and control over our lives. [00:27:00] In particular, we call on the union movement and working class militants to take up this fight, because this isn't a fight of trans people alone. We are Marxists and we recognize that the organized working class is the prime motor of progressive change in capitalist society. The whole public healthcare system is the fruit of decades of working class struggle. It wasn't given to us out of the goodness of capitalists hearts or the kindness of our government. It is the [00:27:30] decline in working class militancy, in a perspective that our rights are won through struggle against the bosses and their government and not by sitting down and compromising with them, that has led to the hollowing out of this medical system, which the government so often uses as an excuse for not doing anything to help us. It is absolutely necessary that the working class and its unions takes up the fight for trans rights and the struggle should be militant and uncompromising. The fight of one [00:28:00] section of the working class for its rights is the fight of the whole class. Our struggle is the struggle of all. We call for militant trade union struggle against trans discrimination in the workplace, the health system, and broader society, and for the involvement and leadership of trans workers in working class struggle. But under capitalism, every demand we win will never be safe. Our oppression is intimately linked to the maintenance of the nuclear family, and the whole system of social [00:28:30] reproduction that creates new generations of workers to exploit. We've all seen the anti trans movement on the rise in places like the US and the UK. We all know trans youth are being banned, and our public existence is under threat. It will come here. It has already started to come here. It is funded by the capitalist class because our rights are an inconvenience to their profits. And this brings us to the final demand on our signs today. [00:29:00] Only through overturning the system of private property and exploitation can our rights and lives be made safe. Only a society free of private privilege can be free of discrimination. Against the rising tide of hate and of fascism resurgent across the world, we say trans liberation through socialist revolution.[00:29:30] Thank you there are any tangata whenua or other members of the BIPOC community who really want to speak. Absolutely. Kia ora pai, kia koutou katoa. My name is Narita and I am from America. I've been in New Zealand for about four months. Um, and You know, like America's World Renowned for its healthcare, where like a broken pinkie and a down payment on the house are like about the same cost. Um, so it was like [00:30:00] really shocking to come here and learn like the amount of like loopholes and like how many hoops that trans people have to jump through here, considering that like you can get hit by a car and be fine, but it's somehow going to take you seven months to get an appointment. Like that's weird. That's weird, Bestie. And it's something that the standard.. here in the states is still very much the denial of trans people's like right to autonomy still in that is [00:30:30] still the fear of it and again I would like to reiterate that it is very much that like people are afraid that trans people regret their transition or that's it's something that will somehow take from their quality of life where I have been on hormones for about 18 months ish and prior to this like I I couldn't even, like, eat because I was, like, feeding a home that wasn't mine, if that made sense. Like, everything I gave to myself, every [00:31:00] time I worked out, it just became, my body became something that wasn't comfortable for me. And if the stigma wasn't there for being trans, if people, if I didn't have to fight my family and my community, it's something that I would have started earlier. And it's something that so many trans people don't start because of.. That type of stigma, and it's something like, as a black person, and to my indigenous people out there as well, like, this is a denial of our heritage. This is a [00:31:30] denial of something that is older than colonization, that is older than whiteness, that we are owed. It is not something that is, should be allowed to be taken from us, because it is something that is inherent to our existence. To treat cisness and straightness as the norm is.. It's not true. It's just, it's an, like, to say that transness is not an objective reality to the human existence is something that is, again, a byproduct of colonization and something we need to take the time to unlearn and undo, and it's [00:32:00] something that New Zealand is on the forefront in the world of Most things, if I'm going to be completely honest, and it's hard for me to wrap my head around because America is so, like, ass backwards. So, like, being here is such a beautiful experience, and it's something that trans people are owed that experience as well. That denial of is unacceptable. It is something that, as trans people, we are owed love, and kindness, and joy, and bliss, just as everyone [00:32:30] else is. And hormones are not just cosmetic. As great as my face may be glowing, like, after starting estrogen, I think the best side benefit is like, I like eating now. And going on runs is fun. And hanging out with my friends is great. Like, wearing clothes that fit my body is so exciting now. As opposed to something where it was like a chore. So when they deny us health care, when they deny us our humanity, they're denying us our like, right to joy. [00:33:00] And that's something that is whack, to put it in better terms. Um, and I'm grateful for this opportunity to speak here, and I'm grateful for everyone that's shown up. It's truly, it warms my heart, and I know that if there's anywhere in the world that this shit is possible, it's here. New Zealand gives a shit, it needs to give more shits, about us, specifically. But it will get there if we fight the hard fight.[00:33:30] Kia ora, my name is Te Ari. Um, I stand here as tangata whenua. I'm, uh, kukiairani as well. I, um, I'm trans and I try to put myself out there for all of our tipuna who couldn't be themselves, who were themselves, [00:34:00] and it was really tough. Um, especially my Taranaki tipuna. Um, and that, you know, we deserve quality, uh, healthcare, not just healthcare, quality, um, and having the strength and authority to have that and own it and navigate that ourselves. [00:34:30] Um, and yeah, I just, um. I'm grateful to be here supporting the kaupapa, um, it's a beautiful day. Thank you. Kia ora. Welcome. Kia ora, my name's Oram. Um, I am a midwife down at Wellington Hospital. Um, I'm also non binary and I just wanted to offer my apologies to anyone who's had to encounter the maternity system in New [00:35:00] Zealand. Um, Working in it as a genderqueer person is hard enough and I can't imagine how honestly shit it must have been going through that as a trans or genderqueer person. Um, we are taught, it's drilled into us as students, that you are with women when they are birthing. Women are not the only people who have babies. [00:35:30] You get a baby at the end, and you have a family, and that's it. That family looks different for everybody, but women are not the only people that give birth. Um, I also have my lovely wife to be, Kōtari, up here with me. Um, so we're having a very gay wedding in two weeks. Um, but my very sincere apologies. Um, a week ago. We [00:36:00] lost a dear colleague, Lou, up in Auckland, um, very tragically to suicide. Um, they worked closely with a lot of genderqueer academics in perinatal care to improve the system for everybody. Um, and it's been a huge loss for anyone who knew them and who will have anything to do with reproductive healthcare.[00:36:30] So thank you all for being here. Kia ora. Just gonna keep this brief. Um, kia ora koutou katoa. Um, grateful to be here. I'm, um, non binary, Maori, [00:37:00] um, Pacific Islander, um, and a house student at Victoria University. Um, I, I haven't started my journey yet. But that doesn't make me, um, less trans, I am, we are, for those who don't know already, we are trans enough, and [00:37:30] at the same time we're, we're, many, not, um, those things aren't divided from each other, um, and, um, this year I'm wanting to start that journey Um, and ready to, um, start taking hormones. But, that's, I've been on a bit [00:38:00] of a waiting list for a while. Um, and there's been lots of, um, keeping behind the scenes and me not feeling like, I have to constantly question myself and then build myself back up again. Um, but I will keep fighting. For who I am and have strength in that, and the people around me as well in my life.[00:38:30] And the community that surrounds me. Um, that's all I have, but I just wanted to remind, um, all of us out there who haven't started, um, our transition journey yet. That we are, we've always been trans enough. Um, I hope that, um, you have the support around you that [00:39:00] will, um, or the people around you that will, um, are for you all the way. Thank you. Sorry, I have been made fun of. Amazing. Um, Kiora, I just want to, like, quickly jump in and just say, hearing all of your whakaaro is just so valuable and, Nothing else comes to mind other than the word community right [00:39:30] now. And this is such a strong show of community and I'm just so grateful to be a part of it. And to be able to have this collaboration of our voices is just so beyond valuable. I can't put it into words. Um, but I did just want to quickly come up here and say that, um, there are a few people going around photographing, taking photos at the moment and we're operating on a thumbs up, thumbs down system where if you see someone taking your photo and you're not comfortable with that because there's.. Privacy or safety reasons or whatever. Just give them a thumbs down and that will be [00:40:00] respected. Um, and any photos that are taken of you, if you give a thumbs up, um, personally contact me on Instagram or I will be sharing a Dropbox link, etc. Um, later down the road once we receive photos. Kia ora, thank you. Hello everyone. My, uh, my name's Riley. My, uh, my journey, uh, to, uh, for getting healthcare, [00:40:30] it started, uh, two years ago. I was 15. I, uh, I was lucky that, you know, my parents had already been, uh, sending me to a therapist. And so, uh, you know, I, I came out to my therapist. And, uh, she arranged, you know, a meeting, you know, with my parents to come out to them. And, you know, I, I remember it was a, it was a pretty rainy evening and that gave me a good excuse to wear a big, bulky jacket. And so, I, and [00:41:00] so I just, uh, it's like, uh, I'm Ch Ch Ch Ch Chans, you know. I was very nervous. And, uh, they were, uh, Both of them were basically shocked and horrified and, you know, and I, uh, and uh, after that I spent, you know, night after [00:41:30] night with them having these horrendous arguments back and forth for hours about. You know, about getting health care, and my, you know, my mom was big into, you know, JK Rowling and that whole turf scene, and, you know, I, uh, and so I, uh, I waited [00:42:00] until my 16th birthday, and, uh, I went to my GP in secret, and uh, then it, from there it took me another ten months to see someone and, you know, all through that whole process, I felt so alone, and so terrified, and I was struggling with thoughts of killing myself, constantly. And I, uh, I remember one night, you [00:42:30] know, being, you know, many, being, you know, in the, uh, in the ER and such, and I, basically getting yelled at by the, uh, crisis mental health people to just piss off, basically. That if you, that, we will only see you if you If you attempt and survive, then maybe you can get help. And, yeah. [00:43:00] And then, you know, my existing referral was cancelled and I only found out months later. So I, yeah, so I lost a lot of time there. In the end, I, uh, I did get to, uh, you know, go on estrogen, and I, I was really lucky, you know, to find people who, who cared about me and who loved me. But at the time, I just felt so alone and [00:43:30] so disgusted with myself. That's, you know, healthcare, it saved my life. And it's so important. Thank you for listening. Welcome. Hey, um, my name is Fox Levine. Um, [00:44:00] I have notes on my phone. Um, I'm American originally. Um, I'm Jewish. I'm transmasc nonbinary. Um, I'm new to Wellington, but I lived in Fongaday for the past four years, which is where I started my transition. Um, I was lucky enough to miraculously, um, be seen for, for top surgery, um, in about a year after being put on the, on the list. Um, I was very vocal, um, and outspoken about getting on it as soon as physically possible because [00:44:30] I, I knew what I was looking at, what I could expect in the future. Um, when my surgery time came around last February, I was, you know, overjoyed. Um, I had been a little bit pressured into the type of surgery that I had. I knew that my, um, My surgeon had very little experience specifically with, with trans people. Um, and I went into it anyway because I knew that there was absolutely no chance on God that I could ever afford to pay for it myself. Um, and I would do anything to get out of that hell. [00:45:00] Um, I don't regret doing it, but my God, we need not just healthcare, but quality healthcare. We need to train people, not just send whoever out to do it, because that's really what this felt like for me. Um, After surgery, I remember specifically saying to the nurse, um, You know, what do I do? Um, how do I take care of myself? I was as knowledgeable as I could be because, you know, we all have to be knowledgeable. Um, and I remember her saying something along the lines of, Oh, we used to have a [00:45:30] booklet for that. We should probably have one of those again. Yeah, you probably should. Um, but from there it was really all downhill. Um, they gave me an ill fitting compression garment which they refused to replace. Um, compression is very important post top surgery. Um, I was basically left, I, I went back home, I have my surgery in Auckland, I went back home to Whangarei to a healthcare team that had no idea what to do, they had never seen anybody like me, they had never seen anybody recovering from this surgery before. And the [00:46:00] nurses that took care of me, God bless them, I'm, I'm sure if they, if they had been educated they might have done better. But they, they mistimed everything, they, they really mishandled everything, and I was left, after all of that, to take my own stitches out. Laying there in bed, sweating, you know, high on, you know, the drugs that they had given me, desperate, because I knew that it had been too long, they had dried into my body. It was horrific. I had to pay for all of my, my support stuff myself, all of my bandages, my, my, my [00:46:30] betadine, my, my compression garments that I had to buy myself afterwards. It was, it was months of hell. I had an infection afterwards that they kept brushing off. Nobody had seen any, anybody like me. And during this, I had, I had to take a break from tutoring students. I'm an, I'm an art tutor. One of my students was trans. And they were asking me, Can I do this? Is there hope for me to do this? And I didn't know what to tell them. Because I, I want to see, I want to [00:47:00] see the young trans people in our communities having not just healthcare but good healthcare, where they can really be taken care of. This is a vulnerable moment for all of us, if we're lucky enough to ever get there. I'm sick of feeling like my own doctor, and you shouldn't have to be your own doctors either. I'm gonna call on two more speakers.[00:47:30] Uh, kia ora koutou katoa. Who I am isn't important because I'm not here to talk about myself. I'm here to talk about this building that we are in front of. For too long, the governments that have sat in this building, Labour, National, or anybody else, none of, they have all sat on the laurels of what we have done in our past. They celebrate us as a progressive sanctuary. For something we [00:48:00] did in the 1800s. So I ask, when, so I ask to this government specifically, Mr. Prime Minister, if you're focusing on bread and butter issues, when will transgender lives be bread and butter issues? How much more do we have to prove to you that we deserve to be taken seriously? Thank[00:48:30] Um, no arangi ahau, uh, ko Charlie ahau. Uh, so my name is Charlie and I come from Fielding. Uh, I just wanted to speak today, uh, I wanted to totokoi what everybody has said. Thank you very much for sharing. Um, I think it's really important that we have these kinds of opportunities so that they can't say that they don't know what trans people are going through, right? So, I just wanted to say that. [00:49:00] Um, but also I wanted to bring up the point of top surgeries. Uh, so, they, the government recently announced the transgender genital fund. One thing that is not included is top surgeries. And that makes up a huge amount of trans surgeries, and it's not being funded. And, unless you didn't know, under Capital Coast, there is nobody that is here providing publicly funded top surgeries. Everybody has to go [00:49:30] outside of the district to get it done. There is one person in New Zealand that is providing these genital surgeries, and that's Dr. Eddie Yang. Obviously, I want to say a huge thank you to all of the trans supportive and trans people that are in the medical service. Like, they're doing so much good, and I really appreciate that. Um, I really think that top surgeries need to be part of these. Funded surgeries. Um, [00:50:00] and I've been transitioning since 2018. The loop, the, the obstacles that it takes to get on HRT are the exact same as they were like five years ago. Nothing is changing and that's not good enough. And, and just before I go as well, I just wanted to say like, do some research. I know everybody has their experiences and that's really important. If there's [00:50:30] anything that can give us hope, it's looking at what trans elders have done and seeing the amount of struggles that they've overcome to get to where we are today. If you look at everything, like further back than Stonewall, you know, we've been doing so much stuff for so long and trans people are always at the front of queer, like big changes in history. You know, I'm talking about stuff with AIDS [00:51:00] as well. We need to do research so that we can see we've done so much and we can do even more. So, trust in your brothers and sisters and your non binary friends as well. We can make a huge change and I believe in us. Kia ora. Welcome. Kia ora. [00:51:30] Get angry. If a child was struggling with maths, we would not make them wait two years for remedial, uh, coaching. It's not hard to support children. If people really cared about whether you might regret transitioning, wouldn't they check in with you every few months to see how that's going on? Wouldn't they be just as concerned that some people might miss out? If regret was that important, wouldn't we have this conversation with every child [00:52:00] as easily and naturally as you ask them, What do you want to be when you grow up? Why isn't that part of the question? What do you want to be when you grow up? Don't buy into the excuses and deflections. We pay female athletes a tenth of what we pay male athletes. So if we suddenly care about protecting and supporting women's sports, then we have bigger issues than excluding trans athletes. We can talk [00:52:30] about that, sure, but after we talk about pay equality, sponsorship opportunities, and access to coaching. My name or who I am doesn't matter. I'm an ally. This isn't my story, but I can tell you a couple of things from my experience. When you're actually being shot at, and I have been, you don't give a damn if your ally's wearing lip gloss. If you're trying to save a patient's life, as I have been, you don't care if your colleague has painted nails on under their surgical [00:53:00] gloves. It's not hard care. This is not about special treatment. It's about exclusion. Get angry, and we'll get angry with you. Joe. Um, so I'm gonna, I'm gonna run through our tikanga again before we walk, and then I'm gonna call on Ashton to introduce our chants. Um, so main thing is, [00:53:30] um, we ask everyone to continue wearing masks. Um, do we still have some spare masks? Yes, we do. Um, over here. Um, secondly, trans elders, trans women and tangata irawhiti to the front. We want to, um, give space for people to be visible, um, who are the most commonly targeted. Um, because we, we will also stand up. [00:54:00] Um, most importantly, this is a peaceful protest. We don't want anyone escalating anything. So if people are attacking us, um, deescalate as best as you can. Stick together. Um, if things get really bad, um, I don't expect them to, but that's always a possibility. And we do need to disperse. Make sure that you disperse with others. Um, don't leave yourself open by walking off alone, uh, if you can help it. [00:54:30] Um, We have marshals in these orange hivers vests. If you are feeling unsafe, you can approach a marshal. Um, we ask people not to interact with any hecklers or members of the public who are being actively transphobic. Um, And again, if someone is taking, um, someone is, wants to take a photo, um, give them a thumbs up if you're comfortable with it, thumbs down if you are not comfortable with it. Um, sorry to everyone who did not get to speak. Um, we all have a lot of experiences [00:55:00] and I really wish I could give space to everyone. Um, now I'm going to call on Ashton to talk us through the chants we're going to do. Kia ora koutou, you ready to be loud? Yeah! We've got, um, four chants. Somehow simple. I'm going to introduce two and practice with you and I'll pass it on to Mallory and introduce the other two. Um, so, my first one is, what do we want? I'll say that. You say, trans healthcare. When do we want it? And [00:55:30] you say, now. Cupwight? Okay, we'll practice. What do we want it? Now! What do we want? Trans healthcare! When do we want it? Now! Cupwight. Well done. Okay, the next one is just, trans healthcare saves lives. So just be like, trans healthcare saves lives. Okay. You ready? Healthcare save. Trans healthcare saves lives. Trans healthcare, saves lives. Trans healthcare, saves lives. Trans healthcare. Save. Come on, come [00:56:00] on me. I'll pass it on to Mallory. Um, can, and Mallory. Um, so first train of got here. You just repeat that after me. My name is Rafi T, my name is Faka Wahine, my name is Iratane. My name is Rafi T, my name is Faka Wahine. Can you, am I not loud enough? Okay, one uh, [00:56:30] one part at a time, okay. Mana Irafiti! Mana Fakawahine! Mana Tongata Iratane! Okay, and now again, I'll break this one into two parts. Trans rights are human rights! Trans healthcare is public healthcare! Trans rights are human rights! Trans rights are human rights. Trans healthcare is public healthcare. Trans [00:57:00] healthcare is public healthcare.
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