A guide for trans and non-binary people to know their rights has published.
Developed with the support of legal experts, it was created through consultations with members of the trans and non binary community through focus groups, surveys and reviews.
The initiative, which began over a year ago, was led by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), in collaboration with ShoutOut and Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI).
Described as the first comprehensive resource of its kind in Ireland, it includes information on legal gender recognition, family life, healthcare, safety and protection from harm, education, protections in the workplace, access to goods and services, interactions with law enforcement, prison and sports.
Speakers at the launch said it aimed to empower trans and non-binary people to understand, claim and vindicate their rights in Ireland.
It also seeks to support professionals working with trans and non-binary people to ensure their rights are vindicated in workplaces and provide guidance to family members of trans and non-binary people.
TENI Executive Director Daire Dempsey said the resource “laid bare” the many barriers and gaps in legal protections trans and non-binary people face in enjoying their rights, including in accessing gender-affirming care and gaps in legal gender recognition.
(L-R) ICCL Executive Director Joe O’Brien, ShoutOut Executive Director Ruadhán Ó CrÃodáin and TENI Executive Director Daire Dempsey at today’s launch
Despite advancements to advance trans rights in the last decade, ShoutOut Executive Director, Ruadhán Ó CrÃodáin, said many in the community continue to face “legal and social barriers to living authentically”.
He said that guide would be “complemented” by an educational, capacity-building workshop for service providers and other professionals working with trans and non-binary communities.
The “Know Your Rights” guide was funded by IHREC as part of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme. Legal advice was provided pro bono by lawyers at the FLAC LGBTQI+ Legal Advice Clinic and A&L Goodbody.
Trans and non-binary rights protected by European law – IHREC
At the launch, the Chief Commissioner of IHREC Liam Herrick outlined how the rights of trans and non-binary people are protected under national and European law.
He said that while EU law provided strong protections for transgender rights, gaps remain in Ireland’s laws.
Mr Herrick pointed to healthcare access for trans people as an issue with long waiting lists that interfere with their rights.
He also noted the challenging public and political climate, with the rise of anti-trans rhetoric and hostility towards the community.
The Executive Director of the ICCL Joe O’Brien said that multiple copies of the guide would need to be distributed in GP surgeries, libraries, colleges, schools and offices nationwide.
It is ten years since the Gender Recognition Act became law in Ireland, allowing transgender people to have their self-identified gender legally recognised by the state.
He said he hoped the guide would serve as a source of reassurance, affirmation and encouragement for the trans and non-binary community as well as “a wake-up call” for wider society to address fundamental rights.