Sat 1 Aug 2015 In: Our Communities View at Wayback View at NDHA
Should transgender people expect anything more than acceptance? When cisgender people attempt to placate us by trying to be creative it serves no one. First the education sector says we need uniforms that are neutral. Now we have a major department store telling society we need gender neutral changing rooms, in order to accommodate transgender people. This is their way of ignoring the hateful response of its own workers religious bigotry and placing the solution elsewhere rather than applying effective training and consequences for those that ignore the company's rules. Most cisgender people will be aware of the ongoing transgender issues mainly overseas, about the concept of gender neutral bathrooms instead of just accepting the right of an individual to use the bathroom appropriate to the gender they identify as. So what's my point? Simply if we (transgender) continue to allow this kind of thinking, we have the potential for a really pissed off cisgender population telling us where to go. And I can't blame them, how many times must it be said that all transgender people ask for is acceptance, not special conditions, we; at least most of us want to be treated no different to anyone else. Instead of making compromises to the religious bigots who seem totally unable to mind their own business, leave other people alone and get on with their own lives; we must ask society to tell these people their views are discriminatory and will not be tolerated by a loving and caring society. It is the bigoted religious right who are demanding these changes because they cannot follow the very basic rule. A rule set by one far greater than they who said it very clearly. Treat one another as you would treat yourself. And the really big one Love one another. When will they get it? It was reported that Agender's former president Claudia McKay was asked on the Paul Henry programme for comment; she stated that in her opinion it was on non issue. I actually saw this comment which I totally agreed with having shopped at that store and many others in New Zealand free of any kind of challenge or discrimination. For this I am proud to be a trans woman and a New Zealander. This would appear to be at odds with Agender's current president who disagrees, thanking the company instead by stating "Farmers has shown it’s forward-thinking". A preferable statement should have reminded the company of its duty to ensure is staffs are trained on the laws of discrimination. Claudia McKay told it like it is - it was one person unable to keep her mouth shut long enough for the customer to go about her business.Not only that, for reasons not disclosed, (I suspect on religious grounds) this person chose to verbally assault the customer because as she saw it the individuals gender was suspect. I actually spoke to a senior Farmers representative myself who assured me the company trains its staff on dealing with all customers and this incident should not have happened. But it did and rather than taking the employee to task, the company chose to presume a solution; instead of checking with the trans community on its view and needs. I believe if asked, most trans people would have told them about the need for educating their staff on trans issues, something other companies have done with success as well as spelling out the consequences to their employee of discriminating against anyone, not just transgender people. The greatest challenge to New Zealand's transgender community does not come from the vast majority of its citizens who are mostly accepting but it comes from the so called moral religious right, organisations and individuals who try to convert others to their perverted views. Transgender people do not ask our cisgender brothers and sisters for anything more than they have, nothing special, but a right to be ourselves and live in harmony with out discrimination. Lastly to Farmers I say this, make any changes you wish, it is your business, it is your right, but do not make changes to placate the transgender community, all we ask of you is for your respect and acceptance! - Diane Sparkes is an Auckland trans woman and retired teacher. GayNZ.com welcomes reader contributions. Just email news@gaynz.com if there's an issue you'd like to have your say on. Diane Sparkes - 1st August 2015