Counting Ourselves - Wellington launch

The "Counting Ourselves - Wellington launch" recording documents an event held at Newtown Community and Cultural Centre in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, on November 16, 2019. It features voices from the trans and non-binary community, specifically Ahi Wi-Hongi and Jack Byrne. The event was to discuss and celebrate "Counting Ourselves," an anonymous health survey for trans and non-binary New Zealanders, providing crucial data about the community's health and well-being. Running from June to September 2018, the survey was the first of its kind in the country.

Jack Byrne, a trans individual and human rights researcher based in Auckland, opens the recording by explaining the origins of the survey. Funding recipient Jamie, who could not attend, initiated the project as a community-led endeavor. Byrne emphasizes the community's role, including Wellingtonians who significantly participated, making up 26% of the survey responders. The completion of the survey required considerable time and dedication, with an average completion time between one and two hours, touching on sensitive topics like mental health and suicide.

The survey encompassed responses from individuals aged 14 to 83, from various parts of the country and different ethnic backgrounds. Notably, the survey had an overrepresentation of Māori respondents and a significant proportion (about a third) of participants with disabilities or neurodiverse conditions.

While discussing the survey outcomes, Byrne highlights some sobering statistics. For instance, a quarter of the participants had a disability using the Washington Group's short set of questions. Over a third of the respondents experience high psychological distress, markedly surpassing the general population rate. This distress possibly ties to the discrimination and stigma faced by the trans and non-binary community. Byrne also touches on unmet health needs, with a specific focus on gender-affirming care and the barriers to access, such as cost.

The event moved to critically discussing the experiences of racism and public discrimination particularly reported by the Asian members of the trans and non-binary community. Byrne elaborates on respondents' descriptions of supportive cultural contexts, but also acknowledges the adversities faced by many, including rejection and violence.

Among the suggestions proposed during the event was a need for robust data to counter opposition the community faces and to support their rights and access to care. The survey's results also include recommendations for improvements in mental health support, addiction services, legal recognition, and better access to gender-affirming care. The survey further uncovers issues around bullying in schools and discrimination in sports and provides a foundation for advocating for gender diversity education and inclusivity policies in educational institutions.

The event concludes with appreciative remarks from the organizers, acknowledgments for the support from the community, and the recognition of the importance of such engagement for youth and activists in the trans and non-binary community. The attendees are reminded of the ongoing work and the need to use the data for further activism and improvement of conditions for their community.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Ahi Wi-Hongi Jack Byrne

2010s, aotearoa new zealand, counting ourselves (survey, 2019), gender minorities aotearoa (gma), human rights, jack byrne, newtown, newtown community and cultural centre, non-binary, research, survey, trans, transgender, wellington

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