Hi all! Life over here is pretty busy at the moment: I'm doing some freelance editing/proofreading; volunteering at a local museum doing their social media and editing their external print media; and interning at one of the UK's biggest charities four days a week. I'm not comfortable talking about any of this work on this public blog for a number of reasons: I don't want to accidentally or intentionally say something that might harm my relationship with my employers; some of the work is confidential; and I'm not explicitly out as trans at any of those workplaces and would like to keep it that way for the time being (i.e. I would like to tell people when I want to, rather than them randomly Googling themselves and finding me on this blog).
In light of these things, this blog will be even less lively than it has been. I'm not closing it down, but I'm not going to post just because I feel I "should". If something interesting and relevant happens, I might post. If not, I'll just be quietly working away over here (read: hectically running around doing ALL THE THINGS!). If you know me, you'll know where to find me!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
5 YEARS AND 9 MONTHS
That's how long it's taken to be officially recognised as male (or a sex/gender other than female) by the Australian Government. You know what that means?
My new passport just got delivered!
I wanted to write more, but I can't really describe how I feel! (Pretty good, let me tell you!)
My new passport just got delivered!
I wanted to write more, but I can't really describe how I feel! (Pretty good, let me tell you!)
Sunday, November 27, 2011
PAPERWORK IN THE UK
Sorry for the long silence. Guess I'm a bit too busy with life to update this blog!
Of interest to some of you will be the endless paperwork I need to fill out to set up life in a new country. This is annoying enough, but it's made worse by the fact that I want to get a new passport (now that I can!) stating my sex as male before I do a lot of this paperwork. It's all a bit of a mess! Here are some individual updates:
Australian passport. I've talked to the passports office and, having seen the letter from my doctor, they've said they'll issue me an updated passport for free. I am yet to go to the office here in London with the printed out emails to put that to the test. I've got the form filled out and waiting to go, though.
UK visa. Unfortunately, I will need to get a "transfer of conditions" stamp (though I'm going to push for a new actual visa) in my new passport so that I can continue to live and work here. That will cost me either about 215 pounds (>$300) or, if I do it in person (which would probably be the better option) about 650 pounds (>$900). Really not happy about this, since it's not like my passport has expired or been lost, just been issued with the wrong details.
National Insurance number. You'd think that, with the granting of a visa, they would send you a starter pack of all the things you need to set up life in the UK. They don't. I had no idea I would need an NI number until someone mentioned it in passing after I'd been here for a month and a half and had already been looking for work. You can't actually work without an NI number. I've sent off my application form and I'm waiting to hear back. I would have liked to wait until I got my new passport so I wouldn't have to deal with the whole "yes, it says F but please use M" thing, but I need to be ready to work ASAP. I've sent my doctor's letter with it, so hopefully they'll accept it and just put M on the records.
Bank account. Oh, man. So, when I arrived, I went to Barclays and was told that I couldn't open an account until I had three months worth of UK utilities bills in my name to prove my address. How I was meant to get work to earn enough money to rent a house and pay said bills when I don't have a UK bank account, I'm not sure. Anyway, my in-laws talked to their bank manager who said I wouldn't need that evidence (the website says otherwise). I got as many things as I could sent to me at this address and took them all into the bank for my appointment. The person who opened my accounts looked at my passport and visa, took a copy of my doctor's letter (so I could have 'Mr' as a title) and didn't look at any of the other residency evidence. Apparently Australians are just that trustworthy. So, that was a lot of hassle over nothing! I now have a bank account - or rather, two bank accounts: a savings account, which earns interest (the tiny amount that bank accounts earn here - 1.something%) and a current account, which is connected to my Visa debit card. So, you are meant to keep your money in your savings account to accrue interest and you have to manually transfer it into your current account if you want to use it. Unnecessarily complex, isn't it?
Jobseeking. I'm doing it. I've applied for 4 jobs and 1 internship, received 1 letter of rejection and I assume haven't got the first job I applied for. I've talked to an HR person at an org of which I'm a member (I helped her update the org's diversity monitoring form) and she said she'll put me in contact with some other orgs where she's worked. I've got another 10 or so volunteer/intern and paid positions lined up to apply for. I'm also setting up a LinkedIn profile, since everyone here seems to use it. Networking is a much bigger thing in the UK than in Australia, it seems.
That's it, apart from I hope you're all well and please consider donating to this fundraiser for my friend's musical documentary:
Of interest to some of you will be the endless paperwork I need to fill out to set up life in a new country. This is annoying enough, but it's made worse by the fact that I want to get a new passport (now that I can!) stating my sex as male before I do a lot of this paperwork. It's all a bit of a mess! Here are some individual updates:
Australian passport. I've talked to the passports office and, having seen the letter from my doctor, they've said they'll issue me an updated passport for free. I am yet to go to the office here in London with the printed out emails to put that to the test. I've got the form filled out and waiting to go, though.
UK visa. Unfortunately, I will need to get a "transfer of conditions" stamp (though I'm going to push for a new actual visa) in my new passport so that I can continue to live and work here. That will cost me either about 215 pounds (>$300) or, if I do it in person (which would probably be the better option) about 650 pounds (>$900). Really not happy about this, since it's not like my passport has expired or been lost, just been issued with the wrong details.
National Insurance number. You'd think that, with the granting of a visa, they would send you a starter pack of all the things you need to set up life in the UK. They don't. I had no idea I would need an NI number until someone mentioned it in passing after I'd been here for a month and a half and had already been looking for work. You can't actually work without an NI number. I've sent off my application form and I'm waiting to hear back. I would have liked to wait until I got my new passport so I wouldn't have to deal with the whole "yes, it says F but please use M" thing, but I need to be ready to work ASAP. I've sent my doctor's letter with it, so hopefully they'll accept it and just put M on the records.
Bank account. Oh, man. So, when I arrived, I went to Barclays and was told that I couldn't open an account until I had three months worth of UK utilities bills in my name to prove my address. How I was meant to get work to earn enough money to rent a house and pay said bills when I don't have a UK bank account, I'm not sure. Anyway, my in-laws talked to their bank manager who said I wouldn't need that evidence (the website says otherwise). I got as many things as I could sent to me at this address and took them all into the bank for my appointment. The person who opened my accounts looked at my passport and visa, took a copy of my doctor's letter (so I could have 'Mr' as a title) and didn't look at any of the other residency evidence. Apparently Australians are just that trustworthy. So, that was a lot of hassle over nothing! I now have a bank account - or rather, two bank accounts: a savings account, which earns interest (the tiny amount that bank accounts earn here - 1.something%) and a current account, which is connected to my Visa debit card. So, you are meant to keep your money in your savings account to accrue interest and you have to manually transfer it into your current account if you want to use it. Unnecessarily complex, isn't it?
Jobseeking. I'm doing it. I've applied for 4 jobs and 1 internship, received 1 letter of rejection and I assume haven't got the first job I applied for. I've talked to an HR person at an org of which I'm a member (I helped her update the org's diversity monitoring form) and she said she'll put me in contact with some other orgs where she's worked. I've got another 10 or so volunteer/intern and paid positions lined up to apply for. I'm also setting up a LinkedIn profile, since everyone here seems to use it. Networking is a much bigger thing in the UK than in Australia, it seems.
That's it, apart from I hope you're all well and please consider donating to this fundraiser for my friend's musical documentary:
Thursday, October 06, 2011
HIGH COURT WIN!
First, some links: background and update on AH and AB vs Western Australia.
THEY WON!
Here is the text of the ruling, so you can read exactly what went down. It's interesting, though might not be the most succinct read! Here is a news article, instead. The decision seems to turn on a number of key points. One, the act refers to medical or surgical reassignment procedures to alter the appearance of sexual characteristics, counselling and lifestyle as being indicators of a person's commitment to their gender - "medical" might include hormone therapy, and "alter" does not mean "that the person undertake every procedure to remove every vestige of the gender which the person denies, including all sexual organs". Two, the recognition of a person's gender is intended to be primarily social - "That conclusion would be reached by reference to the person's appearance and behaviour, amongst other things. It does not require detailed knowledge of their bodily state". Three, the purpose of the act is to help trans people transition and to help us be accepted socially as fe/male - "No point would be served, and the objects of the Act would not be met, by denying the recognition provided by the Act to a person who is identified within society as being of the gender to which they believe they belong and otherwise fulfils the requirements of the Act". This is how the court summarised the findings and directed the WA board to act in the future:
It should be fairly clear, and most Australians with passing familiarity with the court system will understand, that the High Court is the final court of appeal in Australia. The task of the court is to interpret the law and one of the aims of this is that it makes consistent decisions across all the states and territories. This decision directly affects only Western Australia, and the win (upholding of the appeal) is based only on interpretation of Western Australian acts. However, the court's interpretation of these acts has ramifications for other states and other acts – particularly the statement that “No point would be served, and the objects of the Act would not be met, by denying the recognition provided by the Act to a person who is identified within society as being of the gender to which they believe they belong and otherwise fulfils the requirements of the Act”. This tells other courts and boards that the purpose of such acts is to help, not hinder, trans people (“The objectives of the Act, and their social and legal consequences, are to be met by reference to its stated requirements. Those requirements, including those of s 15(1)(b)(ii), are to be given a fair and liberal interpretation in order that they achieve the Act's beneficial purposes”).
Anyway, there are numerous statements here that might or might not be helpful for other trans people in WA or other states and territories. One of the reasons AB and AH won this case is that they both continue to undergo hormone therapy and basically promised that they wouldn’t stop (i.e. they would remain infertile). On the other hand, the judges have made room in other statements for this to not be considered a requirement (“The Act contains no warrant for implying further requirements, such as potential adverse social consequences”).
Anyway, this is good. It’s interesting. And it’s pretty great when combined with the change of passport policy at the federal level only a few weeks ago!
Let's hope that the WA govt doesn't see this as an invitation to make a new act/amend the act to make it harder for trans people.
Congratulations to AH and AB, and thanks to everyone who’s been working to help this case and others like it.
NB: I'm not a lawyer or legally trained, so this is just my interpretation of the ruling!
THEY WON!
Here is the text of the ruling, so you can read exactly what went down. It's interesting, though might not be the most succinct read! Here is a news article, instead. The decision seems to turn on a number of key points. One, the act refers to medical or surgical reassignment procedures to alter the appearance of sexual characteristics, counselling and lifestyle as being indicators of a person's commitment to their gender - "medical" might include hormone therapy, and "alter" does not mean "that the person undertake every procedure to remove every vestige of the gender which the person denies, including all sexual organs". Two, the recognition of a person's gender is intended to be primarily social - "That conclusion would be reached by reference to the person's appearance and behaviour, amongst other things. It does not require detailed knowledge of their bodily state". Three, the purpose of the act is to help trans people transition and to help us be accepted socially as fe/male - "No point would be served, and the objects of the Act would not be met, by denying the recognition provided by the Act to a person who is identified within society as being of the gender to which they believe they belong and otherwise fulfils the requirements of the Act". This is how the court summarised the findings and directed the WA board to act in the future:
The construction placed upon s 15(1)(b)(ii) and the identification which is its concern, does not mean that a recognition certificate is to be provided based only upon a person's external appearance, and that person's belief about his or her gender. Section 14 must be satisfied before a person can apply for a certificate. But that is the only provision in the Act which requires a surgical or other reassignment procedure. Once that condition and those of s 15(1)(a) are met, the Board is directed by s 15(1)(b) to other enquiries relating to the person's perception of themselves and to social perceptions about them. No further consideration of the extent of the person's bodily state is required.
It should be fairly clear, and most Australians with passing familiarity with the court system will understand, that the High Court is the final court of appeal in Australia. The task of the court is to interpret the law and one of the aims of this is that it makes consistent decisions across all the states and territories. This decision directly affects only Western Australia, and the win (upholding of the appeal) is based only on interpretation of Western Australian acts. However, the court's interpretation of these acts has ramifications for other states and other acts – particularly the statement that “No point would be served, and the objects of the Act would not be met, by denying the recognition provided by the Act to a person who is identified within society as being of the gender to which they believe they belong and otherwise fulfils the requirements of the Act”. This tells other courts and boards that the purpose of such acts is to help, not hinder, trans people (“The objectives of the Act, and their social and legal consequences, are to be met by reference to its stated requirements. Those requirements, including those of s 15(1)(b)(ii), are to be given a fair and liberal interpretation in order that they achieve the Act's beneficial purposes”).
Anyway, there are numerous statements here that might or might not be helpful for other trans people in WA or other states and territories. One of the reasons AB and AH won this case is that they both continue to undergo hormone therapy and basically promised that they wouldn’t stop (i.e. they would remain infertile). On the other hand, the judges have made room in other statements for this to not be considered a requirement (“The Act contains no warrant for implying further requirements, such as potential adverse social consequences”).
Anyway, this is good. It’s interesting. And it’s pretty great when combined with the change of passport policy at the federal level only a few weeks ago!
Let's hope that the WA govt doesn't see this as an invitation to make a new act/amend the act to make it harder for trans people.
Congratulations to AH and AB, and thanks to everyone who’s been working to help this case and others like it.
NB: I'm not a lawyer or legally trained, so this is just my interpretation of the ruling!
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
AND HERE I AM
We made it to London! It was a very busy and rather stressful two weeks between submitting my dissertation for examination and leaving Australia - lots of packing, admin, sending, storing and seeing loads of friends (the latter was not stressful!). I just wanted to share my experience going through UK border control, before I forget. I waited in the enormous queue, finally got to the desk, and the man asked, "Your reason for coming to the UK?" I got a little thrill when I replied, "Settlement"...
And thus ended the nicest conversation I've ever had with UK border control. A++ training on trans issues, people.
Him: *Glances over landing card* What kind of academic are you?
Me: Cultural studies. I've just submitted my PhD dissertation for examination.
Him: What was the topic?
Me: Trans viewers of trans cinema.
Him: *Quizzical*
Me: So, films with transgender characters.
Him: Oh! *Long pause* The Crying Game!
Me: Yep!
Him: And Dog Day Afternoon?
Me: Yeah, exactly. But rather than just talking about the films, my project was talking to trans people about what they thought about the films and how they watched them and stuff.
Him: Ah. *Does some computery thing*
Me: Because not many people actually talk to trans people about how we feel about films about us. [YES I SO CASUALLY MADE REFERENCE TO MY TRANS STATUS]
Him: *Very slight double take* We get lots of transgender people through here. I mean, we get a lot of people through here, and... *Gestures vaguely at my passport*
Me: Yeah, unfortunately all these documents have an F on them. The Australian government only changed their passport policy about two weeks ago, so I didn't have time to get a new passport.
Him: Really? Only two weeks ago? *checks visa* So why did the UK government put an F on... Oh, I see, they had to make the visa match the passport. You should be able to get a new passport when you're here, though.
Me: Yeah, I'm planning on it!
Him: All right. *Collects all documents and hands passport back to me* There you go, sir. Have a good afternoon, enjoy London.
Me: Thanks very much.
And thus ended the nicest conversation I've ever had with UK border control. A++ training on trans issues, people.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
MORE ON PASSPORTS
* Here is further information from the Australian Passports Office. It details a number of things and includes a template for your doctor to fill in so you can apply for a new passport.
* I just want to highlight this bit: ‘Appropriate clinical treatment’ does not have to be specified. I know that hormone therapy will definitely count; however, it might be possible that consultations with a psychologist also count. That would be really, really good.
* I called the passport office today and spoke to someone who hadn't heard about the changes until I told them. This isn't surprising, as they won't be undergoing training for a few weeks. They suggested I email passports_policy@dfat.gov.au with my queries (which were: is it possible to apply for an updated passport while living overseas? and, do I need to send my old passport - which includes my settlement visa - back to Australia?)
* Here's a blog post from Global Comment about media coverage of the changes. There's a lot of misinformation out there!
* A number of people have been saying things like "this is a huge victory for us/you" - and it is, in many ways. For me, personally, this makes such a difference and will really help reduce some of my travel/border worries. However, I want to point a few things out. 1, it makes such a difference to me because I present as male, am usually read as male and I am happy to be identified as such - it would be a different story if I didn't present/read as/identify as male (or female). 2, this makes such a difference to me because in most other respects I am very privileged and am able to slip smoothly through most immigration and border control machines - I am white, have no criminal record, am not a youth, am not religious (and am not visible as such), I am Australian, I am able bodied and neurotypical. 3, my privilege and the new policy doesn't mean that I don't have to worry about border control and security, but that I can now worry about them in a different way - sure, my passport will no longer out me, but if a search or body scan reveals a non-normative male body (i.e. "female"), then that could be an issue. 4, this is only such a big thing to me because I'm rich enough to be crossing international borders fairly frequently - though it must be said having a passport in one's sex can be very helpful for proof of identity within Australia, too.
* I just want to highlight this bit: ‘Appropriate clinical treatment’ does not have to be specified. I know that hormone therapy will definitely count; however, it might be possible that consultations with a psychologist also count. That would be really, really good.
* I called the passport office today and spoke to someone who hadn't heard about the changes until I told them. This isn't surprising, as they won't be undergoing training for a few weeks. They suggested I email passports_policy@dfat.gov.au with my queries (which were: is it possible to apply for an updated passport while living overseas? and, do I need to send my old passport - which includes my settlement visa - back to Australia?)
* Here's a blog post from Global Comment about media coverage of the changes. There's a lot of misinformation out there!
* A number of people have been saying things like "this is a huge victory for us/you" - and it is, in many ways. For me, personally, this makes such a difference and will really help reduce some of my travel/border worries. However, I want to point a few things out. 1, it makes such a difference to me because I present as male, am usually read as male and I am happy to be identified as such - it would be a different story if I didn't present/read as/identify as male (or female). 2, this makes such a difference to me because in most other respects I am very privileged and am able to slip smoothly through most immigration and border control machines - I am white, have no criminal record, am not a youth, am not religious (and am not visible as such), I am Australian, I am able bodied and neurotypical. 3, my privilege and the new policy doesn't mean that I don't have to worry about border control and security, but that I can now worry about them in a different way - sure, my passport will no longer out me, but if a search or body scan reveals a non-normative male body (i.e. "female"), then that could be an issue. 4, this is only such a big thing to me because I'm rich enough to be crossing international borders fairly frequently - though it must be said having a passport in one's sex can be very helpful for proof of identity within Australia, too.
ON BEING "STUDIED BY AN ANTHROPOLOGIST"
First of all, thanks for emailing to check with me about using my blog for your project. I appreciate that it would have been possible just to use it without checking as it’s a public document, but you have taken the time to be ethical about it!
Your work sounds intriguing. There is definitely a lot to be explored with regards to the ways in which sex and gender diverse populations negotiate “community” (both online community and through online expression). As an academic myself, I’m interested to hear more about the methodology, ethics and requirements of your project. I’m not very familiar with anthropology, so I would appreciate being pointed in the direction of some articles (or other works) that use a similar methodology to your own, so I can see what kind of data you might draw from my blog and how it might be presented. I ask this because my initial reaction to your email was one of discomfort, and I was inclined to reject your request and make my entire blog private! The feeling of being “studied by a anthropologist” is odd, partly because there is such a long history of sex and gender diverse populations being othered and objectified by academics of all stripes. I feel my concerns might be alleviated if you could share more of your project’s methodological and ethical grounding – and perhaps a (short!) bibliography of what you’ve read on ethical research with trans people?
Pending further discussion with you, I’m fine with you using my blog for your project. It is also quite a good reminder of what it’s like to be on the “other” side of the research equation, as I’m less than a week off submitting my own PhD research with trans people!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Your work sounds intriguing. There is definitely a lot to be explored with regards to the ways in which sex and gender diverse populations negotiate “community” (both online community and through online expression). As an academic myself, I’m interested to hear more about the methodology, ethics and requirements of your project. I’m not very familiar with anthropology, so I would appreciate being pointed in the direction of some articles (or other works) that use a similar methodology to your own, so I can see what kind of data you might draw from my blog and how it might be presented. I ask this because my initial reaction to your email was one of discomfort, and I was inclined to reject your request and make my entire blog private! The feeling of being “studied by a anthropologist” is odd, partly because there is such a long history of sex and gender diverse populations being othered and objectified by academics of all stripes. I feel my concerns might be alleviated if you could share more of your project’s methodological and ethical grounding – and perhaps a (short!) bibliography of what you’ve read on ethical research with trans people?
Pending further discussion with you, I’m fine with you using my blog for your project. It is also quite a good reminder of what it’s like to be on the “other” side of the research equation, as I’m less than a week off submitting my own PhD research with trans people!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
PASSPORT CHANGES FOR AUSTRALIAN TRANS PEOPLE!
I'm just going to copy this in full. Thanks to my lovely friend J for hunting this down after hearing rumours (yay allies)!
FUCK YES! :D
Now, I bet I don't have time to get a new one before I leave. Fuck it! And my visa is under "F", to match my passport. FUCKING TIMING! I wish this had happened 6 months ago, dammit!
(Of course, not so helpful for those who aren't comfortable IDing as either male or female, but it's still a big step forward. Good work, activists.)
Getting a passport made easier for sex and gender diverse people
Joint media release
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Hon Robert McClelland MP, Attorney-General
14 September 2011
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Attorney-General Robert McClelland today announced new guidelines to make it easier for sex and gender diverse people to get a passport in their preferred gender.
Under the guidelines, sex reassignment surgery will no longer be a prerequisite to issue a passport in a person’s preferred gender.
“Sex and gender diverse people now have the option of presenting a statement from a medical practitioner supporting their preferred gender,” said Mr Rudd.
“This amendment makes life easier and significantly reduces the administrative burden for sex and gender diverse people who want a passport that reflects their gender and physical appearance.”
The initiative is in line with the Australian Government’s commitment to remove discrimination on the grounds of gender identity and sexual orientation.
“Most people take for granted the ability to travel freely and without fear of discrimination,” Mr McClelland said.
“This measure will extend the same freedoms to sex and gender diverse Australians.
“While it’s expected this change will only affect a handful of Australians, it’s an important step in removing discrimination for sex and gender diverse people.
“Importantly, this policy addresses a number of the recommendations contained in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Sex Files report.”
Media inquiries
Minister's office: (02) 6277 7500
DFAT Media Liaison: (02) 6261 1555
FUCK YES! :D
Now, I bet I don't have time to get a new one before I leave. Fuck it! And my visa is under "F", to match my passport. FUCKING TIMING! I wish this had happened 6 months ago, dammit!
(Of course, not so helpful for those who aren't comfortable IDing as either male or female, but it's still a big step forward. Good work, activists.)
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