Danitgirl1
11-05-2015, 02:23 AM
Hi All
Apologies, I don't normally do this kind of thing but we need some help.
If this breaches any rules, apologies to the mods but I think this is an important issue for our community and for the individual involved.
So here is the problem:
I have a MtF trans friend on Twitter.
She is transitioning and has had a REALLY rough ride her whole life.
She was actually intersex at birth seemed to have corrective surgery, never fitted with her body etc etc...
Anyway in South Africa you need to have an Identity Document. It is a photographic proof of identity required to get a job, open a bank account, get a drivers licence, vote, get a passport, get on a plane (even for domestic flights), buy a TV, buy a car and CRUCIALLY get medical aid (there is no state sponsored medical service other than BASIC healthcare for the unemployed)...
She has applied for an identity document with her 'new' gender. This is important as she can then get a medical aid as a woman AND her hormones and other medical care will thus get paid for. Right now the medical aid will not pay for medical care that a woman needs for a man...
Here is the trouble... She applied and received quite bad treatment from the staff, demanding stamps that were not necessary, her case was loudly proclaimed for all to hear, she was mis-gendered etc. After applying she waited the mandatory period and queried the state of the application. She was told. 'Oh sorry, this and that was missing, you need to reapply'. Which she did. Even though she had supplied the 'missing' information first time round.
She was told to wait 2 weeks.
3 weeks later NO JOY and she is getting no answers...
We are thinking this has gone beyond bureaucratic incompetence and is in fact a discriminatory practice.
Juanita lacks the $$$ to get lawyers involved and in SA we lack proper trans advocacy groups with access to human rights lawyers etc.
We were thinking that maybe we could get a bit of a twitter furore going and maybe even apply some international pressure?
Could I please ask that all of you with Twitter accounts tweet about this and ask all your followers to do the same?
#GiveJuaHerID is the hashtag we are using to get some excitement on Twitter.
@HomeAffairsSA is the twitter handle for the dept of home affairs
@mgigaba is the minister of home affairs
@juavanzyl is the affected person
Please help if you can.
Shout if you want more info.
Jua's story can be found here: http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-07-08-transgender-in-focus-into-the-light-juanitas-story/#.VjsCK7crLIU
Without an ID Jua's ability to function in society is compromised.
We need to show governments that they cannot discriminate in this way.
Please note this is not a legal issue, SA's laws are quite supportive the problem is that officials are just not doing their jobs...
Your help is appreciated.
Daniella
Apologies, I don't normally do this kind of thing but we need some help.
If this breaches any rules, apologies to the mods but I think this is an important issue for our community and for the individual involved.
So here is the problem:
I have a MtF trans friend on Twitter.
She is transitioning and has had a REALLY rough ride her whole life.
She was actually intersex at birth seemed to have corrective surgery, never fitted with her body etc etc...
Anyway in South Africa you need to have an Identity Document. It is a photographic proof of identity required to get a job, open a bank account, get a drivers licence, vote, get a passport, get on a plane (even for domestic flights), buy a TV, buy a car and CRUCIALLY get medical aid (there is no state sponsored medical service other than BASIC healthcare for the unemployed)...
She has applied for an identity document with her 'new' gender. This is important as she can then get a medical aid as a woman AND her hormones and other medical care will thus get paid for. Right now the medical aid will not pay for medical care that a woman needs for a man...
Here is the trouble... She applied and received quite bad treatment from the staff, demanding stamps that were not necessary, her case was loudly proclaimed for all to hear, she was mis-gendered etc. After applying she waited the mandatory period and queried the state of the application. She was told. 'Oh sorry, this and that was missing, you need to reapply'. Which she did. Even though she had supplied the 'missing' information first time round.
She was told to wait 2 weeks.
3 weeks later NO JOY and she is getting no answers...
We are thinking this has gone beyond bureaucratic incompetence and is in fact a discriminatory practice.
Juanita lacks the $$$ to get lawyers involved and in SA we lack proper trans advocacy groups with access to human rights lawyers etc.
We were thinking that maybe we could get a bit of a twitter furore going and maybe even apply some international pressure?
Could I please ask that all of you with Twitter accounts tweet about this and ask all your followers to do the same?
#GiveJuaHerID is the hashtag we are using to get some excitement on Twitter.
@HomeAffairsSA is the twitter handle for the dept of home affairs
@mgigaba is the minister of home affairs
@juavanzyl is the affected person
Please help if you can.
Shout if you want more info.
Jua's story can be found here: http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-07-08-transgender-in-focus-into-the-light-juanitas-story/#.VjsCK7crLIU
Without an ID Jua's ability to function in society is compromised.
We need to show governments that they cannot discriminate in this way.
Please note this is not a legal issue, SA's laws are quite supportive the problem is that officials are just not doing their jobs...
Your help is appreciated.
Daniella