Tangential Laterality; Dramatic Realness / Special Pride Edition

TL;DR is our way of bringing you condensed versions of recent news stories. Each edition contains just two stories that we believe are worth your time. We promise you should be able to digest these bite-size summaries in just under 3 minutes!

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Trans-ition Time: Hong Kong’s ID Policy Gets a Makeover

One year after its initial announcement, Hong Kong has implemented a revised policy allowing transgender individuals to change their gender on their identity cards without completing full sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

This change stems from persistent efforts by trans activists like Henry Tse, who, since 2017, have been embroiled in legal battles with the Hong Kong government over the previous full SRS requirement. After rounds of appeals and rejections, and a year-long wait after the revision was announced, Tse and members of the trans community can finally have their true identities recognised legally.

However, the policy includes strict conditions. To be eligible, individuals must undergo partial SRS. This includes the removal of breasts for FTM (female to male) transitioners, and the removal of penis and testes for MTF (male to female) individuals.

Additionally, they must also confirm a diagnosis of gender dysphoria – the distress from a mismatch between their gender assigned at birth and their true gender identity – prove that they have lived as their identified gender and received hormonal treatment for at least two years, commit to continuing this treatment, and be subjected to random blood tests to check their hormonal profiles.

Some activists are justifiably dissatisfied with the ruling, as they see it as a violation of privacy and policing of trans bodies. Christine Chu, a representative from Quarks, a transgender youth organisation, calls the surgical requirement for MTF individuals a “forced sterilisation”. 

Although the revision will undeniably help those that are able to meet the requirements, it propagates the notion that surgery is required for an individual to identify as trans. Hormone therapy and surgery are both quite expensive, and not everyone is able to access those facilities. 

With so many hoops still left to jump through to make a one-letter change on their ID cards, this is proof that trans individuals and their ability to live as their true selves are still very much at the mercy of the bureaucracy in Hong Kong.

Can you think of a successful campaign that has boosted support for minority rights? How might those tactics be applied to advance transgender rights?

Is it too late now to say sorry?: NSW Premier apologises for anti-gay laws

Last week, New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns, formally apologised on behalf of the state for the past anti-gay legislation and persecution of the queer community. The apology was delivered on the 40th year anniversary of the decriminalisation of gay sex in the state. 

NSW is the last state in Australia to apologise, following Victoria and South Australia in 2016. Although gay sex was decriminalised in NSW in 1984 and men with past convictions could have their records expunged since 2014, only 28 individuals have successfully done so. Additionally, same-sex marriage was only legalised across Australia in 2017.

Responses to Minns’ apology have been mixed. While some appreciate the gesture, others see it as insufficient without accompanying action. Critics argue that it falls short of addressing ongoing issues, calling for tangible changes rather than retrospective acknowledgments of laws he had no part in creating or enforcing. 

Alex Greenwich, NSW’s only openly gay MP, described the apology as bittersweet, acknowledging its necessity but lamenting its tardiness. Many who suffered from the persecution did not live to see their convictions cleared or receive such an apology, leaving their partners, like Peter De Waal, longing for justice and recognition. De Waal said he would have loved to “sit in parliament” and “hold hands” with his late partner.

Moreover, the government is not considering financial compensation for those wrongfully convicted. Despite the apology, significant gaps remain, highlighting the need for further progress. Greenwich’s proposed equality bill aims to address some of these issues, including banning conversion therapy, enhancing job protection for LGBTQ+ teachers, and simplifying the process for changing gender on official documents.

In light of these realities, Minns’ apology appears as a small step in a much larger journey toward true equality and justice for the LGBTQ+ community in NSW.

While acknowledging past wrongs is a crucial step, how effective do you think the NSW Premier’s apology will be in the long term for the government’s public image and trust?

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