UK: Trans woman wins prison transfer

[ftmichael]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8237886.stm

Transsexual wins prison transfer

The refusal to move a transsexual prisoner from a men's jail to a women's prison is a violation of her human rights, rules the High Court.

Deputy Judge David Elvin QC quashed Justice Secretary Jack Straw's decision to keep the 27-year-old, who cannot be identified, in a male prison.


The prisoner would be moved "as soon as possible", the court heard

Referred to as "A", she is serving a life sentence for manslaughter and attempted rape, committed when a man.

London's High Court heard the prisoner should be moved within a few weeks.

Deputy Judge Elvin said: "I declare her continued detention in a male prison is in breach of her rights under Article 8 (right to private and family life) under the European Convention on Human Rights."

Barrister Phillippa Kaufmann, for the prisoner, described her as "a woman trapped inside a man's body".

Although apparently born male, "A" later had her womanhood recognised by law - under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 - and her birth certificate amended accordingly.

Awaiting surgery

Hair on her face and legs had been removed by laser, and she had developed breasts from hormone treatment.

She is now awaiting gender reassignment surgery, but is not allowed to undergo the procedure while still in a men's prison, her lawyer has said.

"A" is currently detained on a "vulnerable prisoners" wing, and forbidden from wearing skirts, blouses and more than "subtle" make-up.

The Ministry of Justice and prison authorities argued that "A" was no more likely to be accepted at a women's prison, where she would require long periods of segregation at an extra cost of £80,000 a year.

They also argued that transfer might have a serious impact on her mental health, making it more difficult for her to reduce her level of risk to society and win early release.

Canada, BC: Mourning a daughter, celebrating a son

[ftmichael]

http://theglobeandmail.com/life/family-and-relationships/mourning-a-daughter-celebrating-a-son/article1269994/

Mourning a daughter, celebrating a son
More transgender teens are coming out than ever before – and at increasingly earlier ages. But even as resources for families grow, parents struggle with being supportive while coping with their own conflicting emotions
Adriana Barton
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009 07:40PM EDT

If there's one thing a mother never dreams her daughter will say, it's “Mommy, I want to be a boy.”

When Julia O'Dwyer heard these words, she couldn't dismiss them as a tomboy phase because her 12-year-old daughter had rejected girls' clothing and toys for years, she says. So instead, the Vancouver mother of three consoled her eldest child and waited for what came next.

Months later, her daughter came home from school and announced she was transgender.


Cormac O’Dwyer, 15, had his breasts removed last week after first telling his mother, Julia O’Dwyer, that he wanted to be a boy when he was 12. Her son has been much happier since he came out at school, Ms O’Dwyer says. (Lyle Stafford for The Globe and Mail)

Ms O'Dwyer says she had a brief moment of “Gee, why me?” but her first instinct was to contact local health professionals.

After months of psychological assessment, followed by hormone treatments, her daughter became known as a boy named Cormac. Last week, at age 15, he had surgery for breast removal.


Roisin O’Dwyer fusses over her brother Cormac, a transgender boy. For some families, tiny details such as pronouns can be a minefield at first.(Lyle Stafford for The Globe and Mail)

Her son has been much happier since he “came out” at school, Ms O'Dwyer says, and friends and family have been supportive. “Having a child who's different has actually been an enriching experience for me.”
( Read more... )