On Wednesday 1 April, the Maltese Parliament unanimously passed a new, inclusive Gender Recognition Act. The ‘Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act’ does not require medical certification or forced divorce of married Trans people and does not have a minimum age limit. It also includes a provision for inter sex persons.
Malta’s Minister for Civil Liberties Dr Helena Dalli, speaking before the vote, described how the act will remove ‘abusive requirements’ expected by law before allowing individuals to live as their preferred gender. Many have referred to the Act as 'groundbreaking' while Dalli emphasised that ''Our country will need to continue to further its engagement on LGBTIQ issues at the regional and international level to ensure that the rights in question are respected everywhere.”
Click here to read an article on the Malta Today website.
In Ireland, the Transgender Recognition Bill was introduced in the Dáil on 5 March. The Bill was initially debated by 27 Deputies from both sides of the Chamber supporting the principle of recognition and a number of Government Deputies calling for further amendments to make the Bill less restrictive. There were no new concessions made by the Government during the debate but Minister Humphreys confirmed that the Marriage Bill, which would be introduced following a Yes vote in the same sex marriage referendum, would be used to repeal the ‘single status’ requirement.
On the same day Minister Humphreys announced that the Government was now prepared to enter negotiations with the General Practitioners (GPs) about including them among the medical practitioners who could provide the certificates required as a pre-condition of applying for Gender Recognition. Minister Humphreys also announced that further discussion of the Bill would be deferred until the negotiations with the GPs had been concluded. This meant that there was now a distinct possibility that the Bill would not be passed until after the same sex marriage referendum, which will be held on 22 May.
Unfortunately, there has still been no movement by the Government on easing the very onerous conditions to be imposed on young Trans people between 16 and 18 or on making some provision for young persons/children under 16.