Louisa Wall is leading the charge Submissions close this Friday on a push to have discrimination on the basis of gender identity to be specifically included in the Human Rights Act. Labour MP Louisa Wall has put forward a gender identity amendment as part of the Statutes Amendment Bill (no 4), which has passed its first reading and will next be considered by a select committee. Wall’s Supplementary Order Paper calls for a change to a section of the Human Rights Act, so it would read: "sex, which includes gender identity, pregnancy, and childbirth." The Labour MP has expressed hope the community would make submissions on the issue. “It’s an opportunity for our rainbow community to talk about how important it is for gender identity to be added,” she said. “To outline how relevant it is, how important it is, why we want it.” Many have taken up the challenge, including transgender advocate Allyson Hamblett who wrote: “Wouldn’t it be fantastic to just simply say gender identity is covered in Human Rights legislation – it’s right there. Please make this possible”. There has been no progress on having gender identity specifically included due to a Crown Law Opinion in 2006 that gender identity is already covered. However that opinion has never been tested in court and advocates say there is no guarantee that the Human Rights Act in its current form will be interpreted as including gender identity.Details on making a submission are here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 3rd June 2014 - 11:22am