by Elise
The Trans community is wary about the United Kingdom Supreme Court’s ruling that a woman’s sex is based upon her biological sex assigned at birth, while the Court also emphasized that Trans people are still protected from discrimination under the Equality Act of 2010 which bans discrimination in employment and in private and public services. For Women Scotland celebrated the Court’s ruling that they say will protect women born women because biological men, they believe, are now banned from female-only spaces and services as defined by the Equality Act. While the Labour Party says hospitals and sports clubs will now know who to serve and how, the Trans community is watching, as is this concerned writer, to see how the ruling will actually affect them.
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Burkina Faso joins thirty-one African countries that have passed anti-gay legislation, in this case as an amendment to its Code of Persons and Family. For many years, Burkina Faso was a relatively safe country for LGBTQ+ people. As a former colony of France, it did not inherit colonial anti-LGBTQ+ laws after gaining independence. Now, people merely suspected of “promoting” homosexuality can be arrested, and foreign nationals who break the law will be deported. Offenders of the new amendment could face up to five years in prison. The amendment is expected to be signed by Burkina Faso’s leader, who led a successful coup. Thankfully, Ghana’s leader did not sign a similar piece of legislation.
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Utu A Matimati Art Collective
In Aotearoa (New Zealand), “He Whare Mahana—A Takatapui Exhibit” ran until Oct. 17 at the Tai Poneke Arts Centre. It was curated by the Uta a Matimati-Takatapui Art Collective, founded by Kauri Waihoe in Poneke. Takatapui is an inclusive term for people of diverse gender identities, sexualities and sex characteristics among the Maori of New Zealand. The Takatapui seek community, and the Collective is a very cohesive and diverse result. There, a variety of experiences, perspectives and artistic practices are united in a safe space that pays tribute to forgotten or erased Takatapui ancestors whom colonizers sought, often successfully, to erase. The exhibit space included books, jewelry, clothing, woven pieces, zines and artwork by 20 artists. An entire bookshelf with a curated book collection was included. The gallery still stands, and is a decolonizing space that seeks to attract the public to create artwork and to expose them to the Takatapui. It is awareness-raising and a chance to make new friends. The Collective is aware that anti-2SLGBTQ+ policies and sentiments are on the rise worldwide.
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Good things are happening for Intersex people. The Council of Europe has unanimously adopted the Recommendation on Equal Rights for Intersex Persons, the first comprehensive international legal instrument for Intersex people. The Recommendation bans nonconsensual medical interventions, with treatment limited to persons who can give informed consent; equitable access to healthcare is called for; and discrimination, violence and exclusion are banned. The Recommendation is not legally binding, but a Committee of Ministers will track whether the 46 member states are making laws that meet its standards. The Organization Intersex International Europe and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association-Europe are among those lauding this decision. The Recommendation launched on Oct. 27 at the EuropeGoesPurple campaign to raise awareness, visibility and political momentum for Intersex people.
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In Pakistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province’s Health Department now has the Protection and Welfare Policy for Trans and Intersex Persons 2025, promoting respect and dignity in healthcare. Separate registration counters, wards and restrooms are first measures in all healthcare facilities for privacy and comfort. Other features are non-discriminatory service charges and regular compliance reports to be monitored by health officials to keep track of compliance and to call for improvements as needed. Health Secretary Shahidullah Khan wants to eliminate systemic discrimination and create a quality healthcare system that everyone can access.