Athens, June 3, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
Subject: «The GTSA calls on the candidates in the European elections to commit to the recognition of LGBTQI rights»
The GTSA calls on the candidates in the European elections to commit to the recognition of LGBTQI rights
The Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA), is a voluntary non-governmental organization that promotes the rights and freedoms of trans, gender-diverse and LGBTQI+ persons in general, as well as sex workers, with this press release, and in view of the European elections that will be held in our country on Sunday, June 9, 2024, calls on the persons who are candidates to commit to the recognition of trans and LGBTQI rights.
Specifically, the GTSA submits its proposals, based on the agenda of claims that it has been promoting for their implementation since its establishment and calls on the candidates of the democratic parties for the European elections to commit to their implementation in the following areas:
1. The procedure of legal recognition of gender identity (L.4491/2017), to be extrajudicial, with an application to the registries, to be based on the self- determination of the individual, to enable third gender option for non-binary, intersex and gender diverse persons in general who seek it. The registry for birth certificates of the children should be changed so that they are consistent with the gender of their trans parents, there should be no age limit for the procedure and an explicit provision should be legislated for changing the registered gender and name of trans persons with a refugee status.
2. The amendment of Law 5089/2024 (Government Gazette A 27/17.2.2024) “Equality in civil marriage, amendment of the Civil Code and other provisions”, in reference to marriage regardless of sex/gender, the addition of the proof of parenthood so that the trans and non-binary persons as well as relationships between women to be recognized as parents, equal access and protection from discrimination for LGBTQI persons in medically assisted reproduction and surrogacy as well as amending the Civil Code to add gender expression, gender identity and sex characteristics to the decision of the court for the equal treatment of parents without discrimination. The adoption procedure for same-sex or gender couples should be amended and be extrajudicial by application to the registry offices just as it is done for heterosexual couples, in which both parents are recognized as the parents of their children without following the judicial procedure, which is time-consuming , costly and leaves them unprotected in incidents of discrimination in an open audience without any secrecy and privacy protection. To abolish provisions on fostering process or adoption that require opinions and stigmatize population groups.
3. That the State integrate the international classification list ICD-11 of the World Health Organization issued in 2018 and de-psychiatricizing gender identity, ensuring seamless and without violations of the privacy of trans, non-binary and intersex persons in their access to health services and in their inclusion in the Online Prescribing System, the full insurance coverage of gender reassignment procedures and the inclusion of uninsured trans persons in the vulnerable groups for the prescription of medicines, therapeutic procedures and diagnostic tests by private doctors and the equal access of trans persons to private insurance coverage clinics. The creation through the National Health System of a safe guide for persons who want to enter the gender transition process, which will contain the clinics-hospitals with specialist doctors. The addition of the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of gender identity and sex characteristics to the Code of Medical Ethics, for effective protection against discrimination in the health sector. The training of employees in the field of health in matters of sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics and gender expression and the implementation of good practices based on research and dissertations for the access of trans and gender diverse persons to health services as well as for the de-stigmatization and de-psychiatry of neurodiversity with an inclusive and affirmative modeling by experts and qualified professionals from the LGBTQI community.
4. Ensuring equal access to blood donation regardless of sexual orientation and for reasons of gender expression, gender identity and sex characteristics through Circulars based on the principle of equal treatment in health care and access to health services (Law 443/2016 as amended by Law 5089/2024), as well as to remove from the blood donation form the shameful, stigmatizing provision that prohibits sex workers from donating blood.
5. The amendment of Article 62 (Conversion therapies), par. 2 β, of Law 4931/2022 “Doctor for all, equal and quality access to the services of the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services and to Primary Health Care and other urgent provisions” , so that there is an explicit horizontal prohibition of any kind of psychiatric or other practice that aims to “convert”, “change” or “redetermine” a person’s sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity, the removal of ” explicit consent ” to persons subjected to such torture and the prohibition of such practices and by non-professionals.
6. The creation of a program and submission of relevant circulars of the Ministry of Education against discrimination, in the direction of strengthening an anti-discrimination wall for teachers, parents, pupils, students and the cultivation of a climate against sexism, homophobia and transphobia in educational institutions of all levels. The amendment of Law 4957/2022 –G. Gazette 141/A/21.07.2022, so that sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics are included in equal access to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the amendment of Law 5029/2023 – G. Gazette 55/A/10.03.2023 to explicitly mention the causes and forms of school bullying that also take place on the basis of sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. To legislate educational school programs on sexual education, human rights and forms of neurodiversity in collaboration with the Ministry of Education with qualified representatives of LGBTQI organizations of Civil Society that will be addressed to the school environment as a whole and to the Associations of Parents and Guardians.
7. The inclusion of trans persons in the Special Benefits for Vulnerable Groups of the Public Employment Service (D.YP.A.), as well as the institution of a Special Monthly Allowance for trans persons, aged 50 and over, in which there will also be a corresponding indexation adjustment , so that our already impoverished trans fellow beings are not impoverished even more by accuracy and inflation, which will be based solely on their own needs, as a form of compensation, which due to marginalization and stigmatization by the State, they were forced to work in sex as a result of which they face serious physical and mental health issues as well as living without any state protection and access to safe health services.
8. The revision of the completely outdated law 2734/1999 for sex work. Amend existing sex work legislation to treat it like all work with full employment, insurance and welfare rights, and to adequately protect sex workers from stigma and discrimination.
9. The addition of sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity and sex characteristics to vulnerable social groups in need of asylum and ensuring their privacy and the protection of their human dignity.
10. The amendment and extension of Law 4285/2014 (anti-racism law), so that not only the public incitement of violence or hatred is criminalized, but more generally any form of hate speech, and in addition additional measures are taken when it emanates from public figures, and that there be additional arrangements to deal with the public dissemination, public distribution or production or storage of racist material, as well as that there be measures to protect human rights defenders based on the Decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU member countries. The revision of Article 4 par. 1 of the presidential decree 77/2003 on the operation of the National Radio and Television Council, with the inclusion of gender identity and sex characteristics as a field of prohibition of comments that promote belittling, social isolation, adverse discrimination and/or violence.
11. The addition of sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in par. 2, Article 5 of the Greek Constitution for the enjoyment of the absolute protection of life, honor and freedom. The legal recognition of the term “femicide” and the addition of “sex/gender” to the Penal Code for hate crimes (Article 82A).
12. The creation of a Special Independent Authority, with the proposed name “Advocate for Equality for reasons of Sexual Orientation, Gender Expression, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics”, which will be specialized in these matters, and with powers of inherent action, as well as drawing up special reports and/or proposals law to the competent Ministers for the elimination of discrimination. The creation of an Independent Effective Body that will conduct administrative examinations in the Security Forces for reasons of police arbitrariness. In the operating code of the independent body, clear inclusion against discrimination, racist behavior and/or practices also on grounds of sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics, with severe disciplinary penalties.
13. The addition of an article to the Rules of Procedure of the Greek Parliament, which will prohibit the development of hate speech and sexism within the Greek Parliament, whose scope will clearly state sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. Initially, strict recommendations should be provided by the Presidium of the Parliament, and if repeated by the same member of parliament, a punishment of deprivation of the parliamentary compensation and expulsion from one to three months, depending on the seriousness of the incident. The amount of the deprivation of the parliamentary compensation will be allocated by the Institutions and Transparency Committee of the Parliament, in a campaign against homophobia and transphobia. If the incident concerns a member of the Presidium of the Parliament, immediate deprivation of status. The adoption by the Greek Parliament of the “Guidelines for the Protection of the Rights of LGBTI Persons” in external relations, as voted by the Council of the European Union, on June 24, 2013.
14. The recognition by the Greek Parliament of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia and Interphobia, which has been set internationally on May 17th every year, symbolically, as a day against the discrimination faced by persons due to homosexual or bisexual sexual orientation as well as trans and intersex persons. Also, recognition by the Greek Parliament of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance which has been set internationally on November 20, honoring the memory of those trans persons have been murdered due to transphobic hatred, but also as a day of awakening to the violence, racism and intolerance they face trans and intersex persons.
15. The continuous information/training of the security forces, teachers, workers in health services, social workers, workers in the Asylum Service, correctional officers, workers in local government organizations and other workers in sensitive sectors of service provision in matters of diversity and in particular in matters of sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity and sex characteristics by experts and qualified professionals of LGBTQI organizations.
The Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA), calls on the persons of the democratic parties that are candidates in the European elections to commit to the recognition of the proposals of the GTSA for securing the rights of LGBTQI persons in Greece and invites them to sign the commitment document “Come Out 4 Europe Pledge 2024” of ILGA-Europe, in which they declare their support for the promotion and defense of LGBTQI rights in the European Parliament in cooperation with all Member States and LGBTQI Civil Society organizations.
THE BOARD OF MEMBERS
GREEK TRANSGENDER SUPPORT ASSOCIATION
Trans Day Reception & Empowerment Center: Evangelistrias 6, Kallithea Athens, 17671
Tel. 210.9210697 & 698 753 9741
Office and communication hours for the public: Tuesday and Friday – 13.00-19.00 and Saturday 12.00 17.00
Comments are closed.