Submission

1
Submission

• Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Bill
  

2
Introduction

• SAHRC welcomes the Bill
• SAHRC has dealt with a small number of complaints
• Supports the Bill based on principles of human
  dignity, achievement of equality and the
  advancement of human rights and freedoms

3
Mandate of the SAHRC

• The SAHRC is mandated by section 184 of the
  Constitution to
• (a)    Promote respect for human rights and a
  culture of human rights
• (b)    Promote the protection, development and
  attainment of human rights and
• (c)     Monitor and assess the observance of
  human rights in the Republic.

4
Background to the Legislation

• Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1963
• Births and Deaths Registration Act 1992
• Case of WvW, followed the Ormrod Test from the
  UK case Corbett v Corbett
• Identification Act, 1997
• Identity documents record your sex

5
Trends elsewhere in the World

• Liberty study
• 23 out of 37 European Union states permit birth
  certificate change
• 10 states were unclear, law was in flux
• Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 50 of the 52
  states in the USA allow changes to birth
  certificates
• Namibia, India, Pakistan and Egypt

6
Further Observations

• Little controversy of note
• Trend of recognition has continued
• Denial based on fundamental moral objections

7
European Court of Human Rights

• I v. The United Kingdom
• Christine Goodwin v. The United Kingdom
• July 2002 judgment handed down
• Failure to grant full legal recognition and allow
  amendment of birth certificate, violation of
  right to privacy and right to marry and to found
  a family

8
Ormrod test rejected

• In the 21st century the right of transsexuals to
  personal development and to physical and moral
  security in the full sense enjoyed by others in
  society cannot be regarded as a matter of
  controversy requiring the lapse of time to cast
  clearer light on the issues involved. In short,
  the unsatisfactory situation in which post
  operative transsexuals live in an intermediate
  zone as not quite one gender or the other is no
  longer sustainable.

9
Impact on Lives Real Experiences

• Individuals not willing to come forward
• Wish to retain dignity and privacy

10
Banks

• The banks are the worst they absolutely refuse
  to change your sex details. I will not have a
  credit card because can you imagine that every
  time you used your card you have to explain your
  personal life in public.

11
ID document

• I have considered obtaining a false ID, but why
  should I be forced to become a criminal?

12
Employment

• Applying for a job is difficult because at some
  stage you have to show your employer your ID
  document and then questions are asked.

13
Medical Records

• My right to confidentiality of my medical
  records and history is exposed in public each
  time have to explain my situation.

14
Social stigma

• I left my home town because every time I went
  out people would look at me and speak about me. I
  still feel uncomfortable when I return. This is
  why I wish to remain anonymous. I have started a
  new life in this city and have established new
  relationships and friendship. I do not want this
  to be destroyed.

15
Banks

• When I applied to open a bank account at a
  leading bank, I was questioned in open public in
  the middle of the bank as to whether I intended
  committing fraud as there was something wrong
  with my ID Document. I was made to feel like a
  criminal.

16
Freedom

• I feel that I do not have freedom, freedom to be
  who I am. My life would have been very different
  had I not have had to go through all of this (sex
  change operation).

17
Sport

• Can you imagine being a boy of 16 years of age
  who is growing breasts? Physical education was a
  nightmare!

18
Religion

• I would like to attend church and become part of
  its activities, but will I be accepted when my
  sex identity is found out?

19
Final Stage

• This piece of legislation is so important to me
  it is the final stage that is needed to make my
  sex change complete.

20
Home Affairs Department

• People treat you as a curiosity. I felt certain
  once when a new person was employed at the
  Department of Home Affairs in the section that
  deals with my applications, that I was called in,
  merely so that the official could look at me.
  Others have been very sensitive and helpful.

21
Arrest vs. victim of crime

• Heaven forbid that I should ever be arrested for
  anything what would happen to me when they
  discover my ID document says I am a man when I am
  a woman. Would they put me in the cells with the
  men?

• What are my rights? Do I have any? What would
  happen if I were raped or if my partner were to
  physically abuse me? What would happen when I
  went to the police station to report such a
  crime? I sometimes feel that I do not have any
  rights.

22
Arrest / Prison

• q       Which cell would I be placed in if I
  were arrested?

23
Marriage

• I tried to open and account at a leading
  jewellery store to buy my girlfriend an
  engagement ring. They telephoned me up and
  refused my credit application as they said that
  my ID document was fraudulent.

24
Banks

• q       I do not have bank accounts or credit as
  I am not prepared to suffer the indignity of
  explaining my personal life to others.

25
Post

• I do not want post arriving at my home
  addressed to a person of the opposite sex.

26
Marriage

• I cannot get married, people keep asking us why
  we are not married yet.

27
Id document

• q       You need to produce am ID document for
  so many things. Often you have to fill in forms
  that request your ID number. People can tell form
  your ID number what your sex is. Say for example,
  I go to a new dentist, what interest is it to him
  what sex I am?

28
Medical Aid

• My boyfriend and I are too scared to have me
  placed on his medical aid, (even though his work
  would allow this) as he holds a relatively senior
  position and we could not bare to face the
  indignity of his work colleagues finding out and
  responding negatively.

29
Branding

• q       I want to conform and be normal, Home
  Affairs are branding us and attaching a number to
  us, it is similar to the past when our identity
  documents reflected our race groups, why are we
  being branded?

30
Rights Violated

• Privacy
• Dignity
• Equality, sex , gender, sexual orientation

31
Other rights

• Social security
• Family life, marriage
• Labour laws etc. .

32
Submissions

• 1.                  Section 1(3) unless such
  changes have been made public.
• Remove
• 2.                  Section 1(2) (b). Prepared
  by the medical practitioners who carried out the
  procedures and applied by the treatment.
• or a medical practitioner in the field with
  experience in the carrying out of such
  procedures.

33
Conclusion

• Based on the rights enshrined in the
  Constitution, particularly the rights to privacy,
  dignity and non-discrimination the SAHRC calls
  upon Parliament to pass this legislation speedily
  in order that the continuing rights violations
  that are visited upon individuals who have
  undergone sexual reassignment surgery will be
  ended.