LGBTQphobia Report #8

The Transgender Community

“Finally, I managed to get a job interview, because up till now I was refused due to my trans appearance. When I went for the interview, I was asked by the interviewer what I have between my legs. I was tearing up”. A. North of Israel. The main issues reported by people on the trans spectrum were harassments close to their home environment (23.5%), online bullying (19%), transphobia/discrimination/rights exhaustion within the Health system (23.5%). One of the most outrageous cases arriving at our doorstep, is one of a young trans man, who was kicked out of his home. He came for an interview for a position of youth at risk instructor. As someone who never had the emotional and mental support he needed as a young adult, he wanted to make amends by helping those boys. When he arrived for his interview, his interviewer asked him about what “he had between his legs” and was told that he couldn’t have this job for that reason. His life experience and the skills he has acquired were completely irrelevant and he felt that he was being diminished into the subject matter of his physiology. Another challenge added to those the trans community already has to deal with on a day to day basis, is the Corona pandemic, that has weakened the weak: to begin with, many trans people deny themselves medical and health treatment (a 2019 study by Dr. Sigal Golding in collaboration with the Levinsky clinic, regarding health and welfare in the trans community, show that 55-60% of the trans community avoid using health services); on top of that, they were dealing with the hardship of not getting employment - in a world where it’s scary to leave home, it has just gotten worse due to the pandemic, thus their need of survival surpassed any other needs. With regards to trans teenagers, ironically, the Coronavirus reduced social anxiety and dysphoria for some of them, because youth had to stay at home, and therefore had less interaction with exterior harassment (the said above is true for those with a strong support system). Community Support: After 3 years of much hard work by the trans organisations, a new practice was developed at the Health Ministry, to make the mental health system accessible for trans people. The practice determines that being a transgender is not a mental condition. Furthermore, the pracitce determines that there is also no justification to perform conversion therapy to people who change their gender or to non heterosexual people. Additionally, an inter-office teamwas established toadvance the transgender spectrum, whichhas recommended to improve certain services given by government offices, such as the sex section on the identification card and the way the Gender Adjustment Commitee treats them at Tel-HaShomer hospital. The trans organisations pushing for the team's formation were Ma’Avarim, the Gila project, the Lionesses Alliance and Trans Israel as well as the government relations representative of the LGBTQ’s organisations coalition. Moreover, the Gila project, in collaboration with Hoshen, worked hard on educating medical teams about the transgeder spectrum. In connection to that, Ma’Avarim organization intends to start another educational project with the Welfare Ministry to e-teach the Ministry’s staff, who work with trans people, about the transgender spectrum. They expect to reach thousands of employees who will pass this e-course. In order to cope with the challenges brought by the Coronvirus, Trans Israel organisation initiated a food appeal for members of the community in collaboration with The Aguda Association and Ma’Avarim, sponsored by the Schusterman foundation in addition to the rent assistance scholarship project, they already have in place. This is on top of the academic scholarship project run annually by Ma’Avarim. Aside from that, recognising that the community is dealing with legal challenges both on daily and state levels, we have initiated together with Kalai-Rosen Adv. a project where trans people will be provided legal advice and representation, free of charge on various subjects. Another challenge the community is dealing with is the implications of the new ‘Consumer Incrimination Act’, before there are substantial solutions in place for those who are leaveing the prostitution circle, as they are still in development. The law will have a direct effect on sex workers who work the streets or from their own home, since the streets have become more dangerous for them: Police officers bully the clients who in turn, express their discomfort by using violence towars trans women. Also, it seems that new creative ways were found to fine trans women in the sex business, which are unrelated to the law, such as public disturbances, stripping, and nuisance.

LGBTQphobia Report