Anti discrimination legislation and forms

[Girlyboy]

For Those of you who know me, and that's few of you, would realise I really do not like filling in forms which require that you choose between male and female for gender.

They make me furious, because the forms deny who I am. What is worse is forms for things like census and tax which offer stiff penalties for not filling in the form or for providing false information. If they don't have a choice of 'other' for gender how are you supposed to fill out the form correctly? I've already been informed I did not get a job due to an 'incorrectly' filled out form.

In order to see about getting such forms modified I have decided to check the Australian anti-discrimination acts to see if there is leislation about discriminating against people of non specific gender. I doubt there is, but I was wondering if any of you know of any US legislation along these lines which I could use as a model for proposed legislation?

Thanks,
GB

[Betsy]

Hi GB,

There is a person in Australia who has pushed this issue successfully. I just went looking for the article and the link but it appears the link is now dead. Here is where the original thread was: http://www.bodieslikeours.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=274

I have the article somewhere in my email and will find it later today and try to post it. I also have email contact for Alex which I will include here for you (or send privately to you)

I really need to get some sleep after a very long night on my end but once I wake up later today will find that email for you.

Betsy

[Betsy]

Hey GB,

I was hoping to find the email address to send you but in the meantime, here is the article I was referring to (although it is posted on another site):

http://www.tgcrossroads.org/news/?aid=597

Betsy

[RGMCjim]

GB,
Try GLAAD.org and lambdalegal.org But I can sum up the state of gender rights in the US in one word; No. Australia is WORLDS ahead of the US.
Take me for example. I was assigned female on my birth certificate but raised male from toddlerhood on. At 46 I still don't have a corrected birth certificate. Now that I'm working for a lesbian lawyer I may have a prayer of getting it changed, but from the legal research I've done I am not holding my breath. Seeing as I'm not a transsexual they have no legal precendent and no idea what to do.
I have an intersexed friend who has "indeterminate" on his birth certificate. He tried to bring a sexual harrassment suit at the federal level against an employer who was violently harrassing him over being intersexed. Guess what? You have to have a sex to bring such a suit.
It really sucks having to check off male or female when we don't really fit what those labels implies, but as you read the work that organizations like GLAAD, and Lambda Legal are trying to accomplish for the intersexed and transsexual you'll see we have MUCH bigger problems looming in the future.

Jim

[Rudy]

Hiya Girlyboy,
Its been awhile since ive made a post actually ive been offline for a cpl of months. Computer fried and well im not rich, hehe took me a few months to get another. well wanted to say i understand and well i honestly wish there was a 3rd genderyou know, mark ___M, ___F,___I or maybe even ___X hehe but then i feel as though im a little of both, XY/XO makes me alittle unique i can honestly say that i have ovaries,"doesnt that make me alittle female" but then again, i also have testies, "so i must also be a man" HHMMM makes yah wonder. But hay i really believe i would of been happier as a Girl, so maybe i should start marking female on everything and really make people wonder. I dont really look very fem and well even though i love putting on a dress now and then i really look quite dreadfull. Your post really has me wondering about all th questionairs and stuff. I've got one lab report from when i was in the military that says Gender: Male/Female and well makes me wonder if i should just carry that with me everywhere so when people ask i can just show it to them.

[Girlyboy]

Hello Rudy, your life really reminds me a lot of me. I also feel very much female, as I was raised as a girl for my first 14 years. I have nteresting gentics too, but have a very annoying at times male apperance. I don't have a uterus, I wish I did, it would be nice to have children. I do have quite obvious breasts though, which I find can result in negative reactions from people. I like them though. I have also considered putting down female on forms to confuse people, but on many forms that could be considered illegal.

Well gott go and rest and sleep. It's cold as down here in Australia.