Sat 18 Feb 2012 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Auckland-based transgender support and advocacy group GenderBridge is describing Corrections Department policy to treat people based on the gender on their birth certificate as "discriminatory and dangerous". Despite a report from the Office of the Ombudsman calling for change, Corrections says it will not review its policy where prisoners are placed in prisons according to their birth gender, unless they have completed gender reassignment surgery. It says there are only three transgender prisoners out of 8,500 in the system. GenderBridge Chair Jaimie Veale says there is a high legal threshold for changing one's birth certificate and not everyone takes all the steps required for health, cultural, or personal reasons. "The Human Rights Commission's 2008 Transgender Inquiry raised concerns about the safety of transgender people in prison and it seems there has been little action on this now more than four years on," she says. "GenderBridge is also aware of concerns about transgender people being put into segregation not not being able to mix with other prisoners, not having access to rehabilitation and other prison services, and not having access to hormones if we have not been prescribed these prior to sentencing." Veale points out that the Ombudsman's report also outlines potential risk of assault to transgender people. "The small number of transgender prisoners means it should be easier for there to be flexibility to protect and help rehabilitate people in this marginalised group. "The transgender community would be happy help to work with the Department of Corrections to make prison a safer place for everyone. GenderBridge hopes that with the Chief Ombudsman and senior Labour MPs raising awareness of this issue that some action can be taken."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 18th February 2012 - 4:52pm