Towards a National Agenda

Sex files: Looking at how records of sex and gender impact on human rights
Federal Human Rights Commissioner, Graeme Innes has launched the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's (HREOC) Sex and Gender Diversity Blog, entitled Sex files: The legal recognition of sex in documents and government records.

Not all people are happy with the decision that was made at birth as to whether they are a male or a female. Not everyone is born exclusively male or female. Lives are made unnecessarily difficult by official documents and government records on which sex or gender cannot be changed. Sex files is looking at these issues.

Commissioner Innes said "The Sex files blog is looking at the difficulties people who are sex and gender diverse experience in being identified as their true sex or affirmed gender in official documents and government records."

HREOC has conducted preliminary consultations with sex and gender diverse communities to determine the most pressing human rights issues for people who are sex and gender diverse.

This consultation found that the four broad areas of concern are: the ability to change or correct official and identity documents; access to health services and policy; protection from discrimination, and; education and awareness.

"The issue of legal recognition and the ability to amend documentation was most frequently raised in our consultations," said Commissioner Innes. "People asked the Commission to focus on legislative reform and ensure we consult widely with sex and gender diverse communities in the process.

"The Sex files blog aims to reach as many people in the sex and gender diverse communities as possible."

Comments on the blog are public, but participants can choose to post anonymously.

The blog gives people the chance to tell their stories and provide their views on the impact on their daily lives of existing identification systems.

Information about the consultation and the Sex files blog can be found at: www.humanrights.gov.au/genderdiversity/

Media contact: Brinsley Marlay (02) 9284 9656 or 0430 366 529