Greens commit to $3 million funding for trans-specific mental health programs
Image: Senator Janet Rice (R) with her wife Penny.
The Greens have marked International Transgender Day of Visibility by announcing a range of policies aimed at improving the lives of trans and gender diverse Australians.
Included in the policy announcements is a pledge to direct $3 million in funding towards trans-specific mental health programs, and to establish a trans and gender diverse advisory board to the Department of Health.
Senator , said the policies are聽aimed at making trans and gender diverse peoples lives easier and safer.
鈥淭he Greens are celebrating transgender and gender diverse people today and repeating our commitment to fight for full equality for trans and gender diverse people, as well as all LGBTIQ+ people,鈥� Rice said on TDoV, which was observed on March 31.
鈥淭rans and gender diverse people, indeed all LGBTIQ+ people, should have the right to be free from discrimination, have autonomy over their bodies, and access to holistic and comprehensive health services and secure housing.
鈥淒espite recent progress, there are still multiple barriers preventing transgender and gender diverse people from affirming their identities,” said Rice.
Rice noted that trans and gender diverse people “experience higher rates of mental ill-health than the general population, and face discrimination at work, in the healthcare system and in schools.”
鈥淭he Greens understand the importance of funding for trans and gender diverse needs to be driven by principles of self determination, bodily autonomy and co-design.
鈥淲e celebrate and acknowledge the contributions that the trans and gender diverse community have made to this country in the face of immense pressure.
鈥淲e will continue to stand with and work with transgender people and their families to ensure Australia is a place where everyone is safe, respected, valued, treated as equals and free from discrimination.”
In addition to mental health funding and the advisory board, the Greens’ plan includes providing funding for trans and gender diverse peer support programs, investment in trans-specific health initiatives, establishing a complaints body for medical decisions affecting trans and intersex people, and legislating for all-gender toilets in the workplace.
The Greens’ trans and gender diverse policies come in addition to , including a commitment to scrap the religious chaplaincy program in public schools as well as moving to stamp out sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts, more commonly known as conversion therapy.
I know it doesn’t fall into federal jurisdictions for Janet Rice and the Greens but making it easier for trans and gender – diverse people to amend birth certificates still is one of the major hurdles for the community.
Currently only SA, NT and the ACT allow people to amend birth certificates without undergoing forced sterilisation surgery.
It would be good for the federal greens to still acknowledge this as this as a major issue as this seems to have fallen by the away side in other states like NSW, QLD, VIC etc. recently.