In a resolution adopted, the European Parliament has called on the World Health Organization to stop considering transgender people as mentally ill. Gender dysphoria is currently classified as a ‘mental and behavioural disorder’ in the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases.
WHO - World Health Organization
The text adopted yesterday “calls on the Commission and the World Health Organization to withdraw gender identity disorders from the list of mental and behavioural disorders, and ensure a non-pathologising reclassification in the negotiations on the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases.”
Members of the European Parliament have welcomed the publication of a new report by the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity in Europe.
Launched today in Strasbourg, the report provides an exhaustive analysis of human rights violations related to sexual orientation or gender identity. It is the most recent study of such violations, spanning all 47 Member States of the Council of Europe (including Russia and Turkey).
The report thoroughly examines human rights violations for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in six domains:
* societal beliefs and attitudes towards them;
* the presence and implementation of legal protection or legal discrimination;
* freedom of assembly, expression and association;
* gender recognition and family life;
* access to healthcare, education and employment;
* and the granting of asylum.
It also contains 36 recommendations addressed to law- and policy-makers in all 47 Member States.
Ulrike Lunacek, Member of the European Parliament and Co-President of the LGBT Intergroup said of the report: “I am grateful for such a comprehensive review of LGBT people’s rights in Europe, including but not only the 27 EU Member States. This will greatly help our work in the European Parliament, and we will refer to some of these findings and recommendations in the upcoming accession reports of Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey.”
Michael Cashman MEP, Co-President of the LGBT Intergroup, also added: “Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg and his team have done tremendous work; we will no doubt refer to this landmark report in our future reports and letters. We must also salute the work done by a dense network of legal experts. Such a comprehensive snapshot was long overdue for all of us.”
Documentary made by the Council of Europe on the launch of Commissioner Hammarberg's report 'Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity in Europe' (press 'cc' for *subtitles) *needed for some parts of film
Channel 4 has signed an agreement to treat transgender issues sensitively and accurately.
The broadcaster is the first media outlet to sign Trans Media Watch’s Memorandum of Understanding.
The document calls on the media to use the correct definitions for trans people, to work to eradicate transphobia and ensure that positive and realistic depictions of trans people are shown.
It also asks the media to help end misinformation and ensure that trans employees are treated with the same respect given to non-trans people in the same positions.
Trans Media Watch says it is against censorship but wants to “encourage responsible journalism and to assist people working in the media who wish to achieve a better understanding of transgender and intersex issues”.
It is asking other media outlets to sign the document.
The memorandum was developed after the group published research which found a link between harassment of trans people and negative portrayals in the media.
Channel 4 bosses signed the document at an event in central London last night.
Stuart Cosgrove, Channel 4 director of creative diversity said: “Channel 4 recognises and respects the ambitions of Trans Media Watch, and its core values of accuracy, dignity and respect.
“Our editorial independence always come first; but it is part of our remit to reflect the diversity of the UK, and in this context we have said we would be delighted to become signatories to Trans Media Watch’s aims to work towards great tolerance and improved representation of transgender people.”
The Intergroup on LGBT rights gathered in the European Parliament for the transgender rights conference on the 1st September 2010, the conference (Trans) Gender Equality? was co-hosted by the Greens/EFA Group and the Intergroup on LGBT Rights in the European Parliament.
This was the first time since 1998 member of the European Parliament sat down to hear submisions on transgender rights across the EU.
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