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Issue Ninety-SixPolareNorrieMAGAZINE OF THE NEW SOUTH WALESGENDER CENTREEdition 96July-September 2013Polare page 1July-September 2013

The Issue Gender Ninety-Six Centre & Aurora Foundation present:transtopia2o13 gender-questioning?gender-queer?‘TRANSTOPIA’ IS A MONTHLY GROUP TO BE HELD OVER TENMONTHS IN 2013 FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH BETWEEN THEAGES OF FOURTEEN AND NINETEEN...IT AIMS TO PROVIDE A SAFE, FUN SPACEFOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITHOTHERS, ENJOY SAFE ACTIVITIES AND TALKABOUT THE ISSUES AFFECTING THETRANS YOUTH OF AUSTRALIA.ForInformationCall Michelleat the GenderCentre:(02) 9569 2366Polare page 2July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-Sixthe Gender Centre Service MagazineThe Gender Centre is committed to developing and providing services andactivities which enhance the ability of people with gender issues to makeinformed choices.The Gender Centre is also committed to educating the public and serviceproviders about the needs of people with gender issues.We offer a wide range of services to people with gender issues, their partners,families and organisations, and service providers.We specifically aim to provide a high quality service which acknowledgeshuman rights and ensures respect and confidentiality.the Gender CentreThe place to go for confidential, free services for people with gender issues.7 Bent StreetPO Box 266PetershamNSW 2049Tel:(02) 9569 2366Outside Met. Sydney 1800 069 115(9-4.30, M-F)Fax: (02) 9569 1176Email:reception@gendercentre.org.auWebsite:www.gendercentre.org.auThe Gender Centre is staffed9am-4.30pm Monday to FridayOur ServicesSupport and educationSocial and support groupsDrug and alcohol counsellingQuarterly magazine PolareHIV/AIDS informationCondoms and lubeNeedle exchangeAccommodation Referrals to specialistcounselling, medical, HIV/AIDS,education, training, employment, legalwelfare, housing and other communityservices Outreach - street, home,hospital and jailCounselling and supportgroups for partners and familyResidential ServiceFor all enquiries relating to theresidential service, please contact us.Cover image: The cover image of Norrie playing the Non-Specified-GenderCard is by Edd Aragon, whose blog appears at http://eddaragon.blogspot.com.The image is reproduced with the kind permission of the artist and firstappeared in print form and online in the Sydney Morning Herald on June 6,2013. Polare and the Gender Centre express their gratitude.Polare page 3July-September 2013

Gay and LesbianCounsellingTelephoneCounselling:General line daily 5.30pm to9.30pmSydney Metro 8594 9596Other areas of NSW 1800 184 527 Lesbian lineMonday 5.30pm to 9.30pmSydney Metro 8594 9595Other areas of NSW 1800 144 527GLCS also offers faceto-facesupport groupsincluding: Talking it out - Men’sDiscussion Group Women’s Coming Out Group SMART Recovery Program And other groups to beannounced soon.For further information pleasecontact GLCS Administrationon:(02) 8594 9500Or via the website:Website: www.glcsnsw.org.auOr by mail:PO Box 823, Newtown, NSW, 2042WIPANarehelpingWOMENLeaving PRISON is TOUGH... Icould do with some genuineSUPPORT♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦EX-PRISONERSSettle back into Life on the OUT-SIDEThe WIPAN mentoring programis a great way to get the supportyou need:Meet face-to-face weeklyGet assistance to locatenecessary servicesTalk confidentially about life’schallengesEnjoy activities togetherStrengthen confidence and selfesteemCreate mutual trust and respectHave a positive role modelDevelop life skillsIf you are interested in having a Mentor,contact TARA at Women in PrisonAdvocacy Network (WIPAN)Ph: 02 8011 0693Mobile: 0415 454 770Email: mentoring@wipan.net.auWebsite: www.wipan.net.auHaving a MENTOR has changed my life... my FUTURE is BRIGHTER than ever!

CONTRIBUTUTORSkatherine cummings, marika, anthony carlino,tahlia, norrie, emily christie, matt kailey,edwina keelen, michelle, kelly glanney,alexandria wilsonREGULAR4 Editorial by Katherine Cummings11 News Items of Interest17 Gender Centre Events, Workshops,19 Activities January-December 201324 More News Items Of Interest26 Outreach Worker’s Column by Michelle30 TransgenderAnti-Violence Project Columnby TahliaDEADLINEfor submissions to the nextedition of Polare is theeighth of September 2013Editor: Katherine CummingsTHE FINE PRINTPolareresources@gendercentre.org.auPO Box 266, PetershamNSW 2049Phone: (02) 9569 2366Fax: (02) 9569 1176Email: reception@gendercentre.org.auWebsite: www.gendercentre.org.auPolare is published by the GenderCentre, Inc. which is funded by HumanServices - Community Services and theSydney South West Area Health Service.Polare is funded by Sydney Local HealthService and provides a forum fordiscussion and debate on gender issues.Advertisers are advised that alladvertising is their responsibility under theTrade Practices Act.Unsolicited contributions are welcomealthough no guarantee is made by theeditor that they will be published, nor anydiscussion entered into. The right to editmaterial contributions without notice isreserved to the editor. Any submissionthat appears in Polare may be publishedon the Gender Centre’s Website.© 2013 The Gender Centre Inc.Polare A magazine for people with gender issues.Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of theEditor, Publisher, the Gender Centre, Inc, Human Services -Community Services or the Sydney South West Area Health.Polare is printed inhouse (text pages) and by WenChaiPublications (cover)July-September 201396No.7 A Brief History of X by Norrie10 BBV (Blood Borne Viruses) on the HPE Curriculum12 Speaking Personally by Marika14 In Plain English, Please! by Katherine Cummings16 CRMT Love Train Launched to Critical AcclaimFEATURESby Kelly Glanney18 Testosterone and FTM Sex Drive by Matt Kailey19 The Health In Difference Conference Melbourne 2013by Edwina Keelen22 Appeals Court Recognises “Sex Non-Specific”Annotation For Birth Certificates by Emily Christie25 Diabetes Is A Lifestyle Disease And YOU Can DoSomething About It!31 Queensland Research May Result In Long-TermPrevention of AIDS32 A New Life for Dan by Pip Rasmussen36 Behind the Scenes With Billie Luscombe by Alexandria Wilson37-40 Directory AssistanceSERVICES & NOTICESInside front cover: Transtopia2 Gay and Lesbian Counselling/ Women in Prison AdvocacyNetwork6 SAGE (Sex and Gender Education)15 Needle Exchange/Pay-It-Forward Binder Program/FTM Australia17 The Carmen Rupe Memorial Trust20 Central Coast Transgender Support/Inner City Legal Centre/Queensland Gender Centre27 Over 55’s Group/RPA Sexual Health Clinic28 Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW29 Transgender Anti-Violence Project/ OII31 Barbecues and Other EventsInside Back Cover: Permanence Electrolysis/Seahorse

Issue Ninety-SixI am not normally oneto write encomiums, orshould that beencomia(?) but forNorrie I will make anexception. I first cameto know Norrie asnorrie-mAy-welbywhen I was standingfor the Democrats as aKatherinedeclared transgender inthe 1998 Federalelection. I stood in the seat of Grayndler, thatencompasses Marrickville and Stanmore andvarious other suburbs in that part of the world.I will add in passing that my Labor Partyopponent was Anthony Albanese who had nothad to go to preferences for a long time, anddidn’t have to on this occasion either. Heromped in, and I would like to say that he neverplayed the gender card, far less the transgendercard. He treated me with courtesy when weencountered each other and even invited me toshare a platform he had organised for a Fair Dayin Marrickville, encouraging me to tell thegathered populace what the Democrat policieswere.But this editorial is not about me, nor aboutAnthony Albanese, but about Norrie. Norrieturned up at a Grayndler Democrat Branchmeeting and volunteered to help with all thedreary work of door-knocking andpamphleteering and generally helping myQuixotically hopeless campaign. Norrie wastireless and accomplished an amazing amountof work in her vivid and energetic way.I admire Norrie, who takes part in marches, sitins,public appearances and so on for many,many highly laudable causes. I have seen Norrieon television and in person taking back the Cityby way of Martin Place; marching for EqualMarriage; defending the rights of asylum seekersand refugees; protesting police violence andeven popping up in an Andrew Denton audienceand defending sex work with charm and goodhumour.In addition to all the public causes that Norrieespouses there has also been, for a number ofyears, an ongoing, persistent campaign toPolare page 6July-September 2013Editorial - Katherine Cummingsrecognise Norrie formally as a person with anunspecified gender. Norrie takes the view thatneither male nor female is an appropriate genderdesignation.Norrie’s own version of this struggle appears onpage seven and eight. By the way, if the literarystyle of the above seems clunky it is because Ikept falling into the trap of using gender relatedpronouns and having to co back and wadethrough some pretty sticky circumlocution toavoid them. As John Cleese (or Basil Fawlty)might have said in a slightly different context, “Ithink I got away with it ... I didn’t mention thegender...”.The English language has the problem of neverhaving encountered Norrie before and the onlypronouns available to us are “he”, “she” and“it”. “He” and “she” are clearly out of boundsand “it” has theconnotation of“neither” whichis not the samething at all as“unspecified”and carries somenegativebaggage sincethose of whohave crossed thegender divideoften encounterit used as aNorriederogatory attack on our femininity ormasculinity, whichever we are currentlyespousing.I am aware that attempts have been made toinvent new pronouns for the modern world, butthere are too many variations in these inventedwords and some of them already meansomething in different contexts (e.g. “shim”).The English language, which is as close to areligion as I am likely to have from now on(having given up chess) doesn’t work that wayand we are going to need a lot more consensuson usage of these desperate neologisms beforeI will use them with any peace of mind.We not only have Norrie’s account of the longstruggle to achieve recognition as a person ofunspecified gender in this issue but also a piece

y one of her lawyers, Emily Christie, whogives the legal viewpoint in a piece that starts onpage twenty-two.Norrie is a vibrant, intelligent, energetic andthoroughly worthwhile person. I have neverheard Norrie utter a maliciousword, although the vocabularyemployed is often colourful.Norrie is a talented singer (andpossibly guitar player as I havefound a photo of Norrieclutching a guitar although Ihave never been present at aperformance) as well as anarticulate and engagingspeaker.The hand-drawn Christmascards I sometimes receive fromNorrie are always quirky andhumorous, as well as packing apunch.If Norrie had lived in Jerusalemat the same time as Jesus I thinkthere would have been a lotmore hucksters’ tables overturned in the Temple.Of course we don’t agree on everything. Asnoted above, Norrie is religious whereas I amnot only irreligious, I am anti-religious. But thatdoes not prevent my listening to Norrie’sarguments with respect. Norrie is a personworth listening to and the exuberance and energywith which a range of interesting arguments arepresented are a revelation and an entertainmentin themselves.Well, done, Norrie (apparently Norrie is theofficial name although I am assured the namenorrie-mAy-welby will be retained for artisticpurposes).Of course, even when Norrie’s credentials areestablished as person of unspecified gender,this will not be the end of the saga. There are allkinds of ramifications that will need to beexamined and riopples in calm surface of societyengendered by Norrie’s casting of the first stonewill continue to affect social mores for sometime to come.All legislation that differentiates betweengenders, or insists on strict observance of the... and Norrie againIssue Ninety-Sixbinary will be affected. Emily Christie drawsattention to the Marriage Act. Will Norrie beallowed to marry a man or a woman, or willneither of the currently recognised genders beavailable? The Intersex people with “X” ratingon their passports, birthcertificates etc. are not allowedto marry and they protestagainst this, following the reKevin rulingWhat is needed is aParliamentary Working Groupto examine the effects of futurerecognition of revisedclassifications of gender onexisting laws and regulations.I believe that regulations willbe harder to control than laws,as many regulations are madeat local levels, to deal with whatare seen as local problems.To the best of my knowledge,for instance, there is no lawprohibiting men from usingwomen’s toilets and vice versa but there areprobably regulations imposed by localauthorities, and these will need to be dealt with,first by a blanket law that forbids discriminationof this type, and second, by enforcement of thatlaw when occasions arise that lead todiscrimination based on an assumed right toseparate genders according to appearances anda binary convention past its due date.APOLOGYThis issue of Polare will be late. Every issueseems to be late, but the reasons are never thesame for consecutive issues (I refuse to use themoronic phrase “back to back” in this context).I was on track to having Issue 96 out at thebeginning of July when I was advised that myheart was murmuring, which sounded quitecharming until I found out that it meant therewas a malfunction in the machinery.There followed some tedious testing with stickypatches stuck to various parts of my anatomy inorder to carry information to a mighty computerwhile I ran, like an oversized (way oversized)hamster on a treadmill.Polare page 7July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixThen I was told I needed an angiogram andpossibly a stent. For those of you who don’tknow, a stent is a little tube of stainless steelmesh with a balloon inside it. It is fed up anartery to the point identified by the angiogramas a blockage and the balloon is then inflated,pushing the stent outwards and enlarging theconstricted part of the artery. The balloon iscollapsed and withdrawn and lo and behold! afunctioning heart!I was admitted to the hospital toward the end ofJune for my angiogram etc. and was interestedto find that I was to be awake throughout andcould actually watch proceeding on a largetelevision screen (black and white, not colour,boo!).Unfortunately I bent their stent, or I kinked theirlink, I’m not sure which, and the stent had to bewithdrawn and I was despatched to my ward forthe remainder of the night.The stent and angiogram tube had gone inthrough my femoral artery (in the groin) whichresulted in the world’s gaudiest bruise. I feel Ishould be known for the time being as theWoman With The Rainbow Groin.Thefollowing week I was readmitted and wentthrough the process again. This time I managedto bend the cannula they tried to put into theback of my hand (I must be eating too muchspinach, which is easy because any amount ofspinach is too much spinach). The stents,however, worked perfectly and they insertedtwo of them into my aorta.Which is a long-winded and even prolix way ofapologising for my lateness ... again. At leastyou know that now I have a good (or at least afunctioning) heart. I will try to live up to it.STOP PRESS AND BAD NEWSI have just been informed by an email from theAnti-Discrimination Board that the AttorneyGeneral intends to appeal the result of theSupreme Court decision to the High Court.What on earth possesses them to persist in thispointless pursuit of the binary gender model?Admittedly society will be affected when thePolare page 8July-September 2013binary model goes, but society was always goingto be affected by the developing recognition ofgender diversity and laws have been modified toallow transgenders to be legally recognised intheir affirmed genders and laws have beenchanged to permit Intersex people to have theirbirth certificates and passports modified to reflecttheir status.I was tempted to pull Norrie’s article and EmilyChristie’s piece from this issue, and re-write myeditorial, but I won’t. I leave them as a record ofwhat might have been and what will be, whensanity, compassion and respect for human rightsbecome the rule rather than the exception. KCSex and GenderEducation(SAGE) Needs You!SAGE is a grassroots organisationthat educates, campaigns andlobbies for the rights of all sexand gender diverse people inAustralia: transsexual,transgender, intersex,androgynous, without sex andgender identityMembership is FREE!SAGE no longer sends out printednewsletters - instead we send outoccasional news and updates via email, andalso post news items, articles anddocuments on the SAGE website.To join SAGE, and receive occasionalnews updates, go tohttp://lists.cat.org.au/mailman/lisinfo/sageand sign up to our low-volume mailing listFor more information visit our websitewww.sageaustralia.orgSAGE - campaigning for your rights!

A Brief History of X by NorrieIn some ways this case started back in 1991,when a group of gender and sex diversepeople came together to form theTransgender Lobby Coalition.Back then, ‘transgender’ was not legallydefined, though ‘transsexual’ was medicallydefined, but the group didn’twant to be bound or excluded bya single definition of sex orgender status. Our commonalitywas that we were persecuted fornot fitting into the presumed truthof binary sex and genderconformity. We lobbied to havesex and gender diverse peopleprotected from discrimination,and allowed to have legaldocuments that reflected theiractual identity, like everyoneelse, whether or not it matchedwhat had been put on a birthcertificate decades earlier.Clover Moore, then MP for the inner city Stateelectorate of Bligh, was the first to introducetransgender law reform into the Parliament.Since she was an independent MP, and not alliedwith either major party, this bill lapsed whenthe Parliament rose for elections. But it was nowon the notice paper, metaphorically, and TLClobbyists Aidy Griffin and Nadine Stransenworked with Greens MLC Ian Cohen and LaborDeputy Premier Andrew Refshauge to reintroducethe Transgender Anti-Discriminationand other Acts Amendment Bill of 1996. I wasconsulted over the wording of the proposedlegislation, but I was more a support person tothe main lobbyists Aidy and Nadine, who wereinvited to help Ian draft his Second Readingspeech, which was later used in court in my caseto interpret the amended Births Death andMarriages Act.The vital clause said “a person who hasundergone surgery to correct or eliminateambiguity” would then be recognised aswhatever sex they are now. It was big enoughto drive a truck through. I just didn’t know thatI would end up being that truck.A dozen years later, I was with the steeringcommittee of SAGE (Sex and GenderNorrieIssue Ninety-SixEducation) Australia, the current national lobbygroup for the rights of people of sex or genderdiversity, when the spokesperson TracieO’Keefe asked me if I’d like to apply for aRecognition of Details certificate stating my sexas it is, which, in terms of male and female, isnon-specific.Following the Australian HumanRights Commission reportluridly titled Sex Files(consultations about sex andgender diversity), we had beentold by the Federal Departmentof Immigration and Citizenshipthat it would issue a passport withsex status X for Unspecified orNon-Specific or Not Stated ifthere was supporting Statedocumentation (that is, BirthCertificate, or the equivalent forpeople not born in NSW, aRecognition of DetailsCertificate).I went to the Registry of Births Deaths andMarriages, but they weren’t sure they could helpme, and I was quite distressed initially at whatseemed like bureaucratic naysaying. But, afterone officer spoke to his boss and she spoke toher boss, they said they could and would helpme.They wanted a copy of my Citizenshipcertificate, so I went to the Federal Departmentof Immigration and Citizenship, where theysaid they could help if I had proof of living atthe same address for every month in the lastthree years. One phone bill or electricity bill forevery month. I fumed and stressed and wentback with a mountain of paper and got the damncertificate copy. I think I began the process inNovember 2008, but it was March 2009 beforeit was complete, after much paperwork and toingand fro-ing and doctors’ certificates andfaxes questioning the doctors’ certificates andreissuing of the doctors’ certificates and finallyacceptance of the doctors’ certificates, followedby a week to upgrade the computer programmeat the Registry.Finally I received the certificate stating my sexas Not Specified, with a cover letter signed byPolare page 9July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-Sixthe Registrar himself stating the process wasnow complete and final. Finally.Tracie advised me to keep quiet about it for alittle while, since the certificate arrived the daybefore the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Grasparade, and there would little room for any newsin the mainstream media for anything else thatwas “queer”. I duly kept my counsel but smiledparticularly radiantly as I marched in thatparade. One month later, the story was on thefront cover of the Sydney Morning Herald. Oneworking day later, there was aphone call from the Registrar toadvise it had all been a mistake.File notes later revealed therewere public queries, and a legalopinion obtained by the SolicitorGeneral (effectively further upthe hierarchy than the Registrarof Births, Deaths and Marriages)stated that the certificate issuedhad not in fact been issued,because it could not have been.Lawyer David Shoebridge tookmy case as his last one beforetaking up his seat in the StateParliament as a Greens Memberof the Legislative Council. He helped me appealto the Administrative Decisions Tribunal, whichbounced the case along for a couple of yearsand two appeals, I can’t tell you why, it was tooconvoluted for me to follow. While that washappening, Kevin Rudd as Minister forImmigration and Citizenship, changed thepassport rules so that one only neededsupporting medical evidence to get X as the sex.I already had the doctors’ letters, so I got an Xon my passport in 2011.Yay, Kevin Eleven!Meanwhile, back at the AdministrativeDecisions Tribunal hearing, when I tried to makemy submission orally, they scrambled and saidthey wanted copies of my notes, rather thanlistening to the speech the notes had beenprepared to support.The Crown Solicitor’s team representing therespondent (the Registrar of BDM) had thoughtI was a garden variety transsexual, covered byclause A which was about changing to “thePolare page 10July-September 2013opposite sex”, and panicked when I cited clauseB, which applied to people who have surgeryto correct or eliminate ambiguity.The Crown team asked for proceedings to stopwhile they consulted a man in a grey suit sittingat the back of the court.The Administrative Decisions Tribunal insistedsex could only be male or female, so with thepro bono assistance of law firm DLA Piper,advice from barristers Alister Abadee andGeoffrey Watson SC(who was unable torepresent me in courtbecause he becametoo busy prosecutingthe shenanigans of theState ALP at ICAC),and court representationby JohnHoward’s SolicitorGeneral, barristerDavid Bennett QC,we took the case tothe Supreme Court ofNSW in November2012.After a long wait of six months, we wentback to the court for the issuing of the Judgment.“The appeal is allowed, the decision of thetribunal is set aside, the matter is referred backto the tribunal, the respondent pays the costs ofthe appellant.”It took me a few moments to work out that thisprobably meant we had won. And now, it’s allover bar the shouting. The barrier to legal nonbinaryidentity has been seen as the legal fictionit always was.Thank you to all who helped make this happen,in particular DLA Piper’s Emily Christie,Samantha Butt and Nicholas Patrick, barristersAlister Abadee, Geoffrey Watson and DavidBennett, activists/lobbyists Tracie O’Keefe,Aidy Griffin, and Nadine Stransen, past andpresent Members of Parliament Clover Moore,Ian Cohen, Andrew Refshauge and DavidShoebridge, and all my friends who supportedand inspired me and put up with my varyingmoods through this trial.

Issue Ninety-SixPolare page 11July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixIf you’re a parent, uncle, aunt,sister, brother of a young person,it is easy to understand why bloodbornevirus education at school is soimportant.While generally parentsdon’t want to encouragetheir kids to usedrugs, they alsoknow that kidswill be kids.What they may notknow is that theaverage age forinitiation intoinjectiung drug use isnineteen years of age.Without proper knowledge of howto stay safe, young people who startinjecting are at serious risk of infectionwith HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.C me Community Advocates acrossNSW are currently campaigning forBBVin HPE (Blood Borne Viruses inthe National Health and PhysicalEducation curriculum) to ensure viralhepatitis education is included on theNational Health and PhysicalEducation curriculum which will betaught in every public school in NSW.Hepatitis NSW has made a writtensubmission on the draft curriculumand has encouraged a number of otherorganisations to make formalsubmissions. They believe that theBBV (Blood Borne Viruses) on the HPE(National Healthand Physical Education) Curriculumdraft curriculum does not includesufficient information to teachstudents and young people aboutblood awareness, and morespecifically about blood-borne viruseslike hep B, hep C and HIV/AIDS.Hepatitis NSW is also using Twitteras the newest weapon in the onlineadvocacy arsenal. C me communityAdvocates have been provided with abook to guide them in using this newadvocacy tool as well as a list ofsuggested Tweets for the campaignBBV on the HPE.The Guide to Tweeting for C meHep C virusCampaigning and a list of suggestedtweets will be loaded onto the C mewebsite, www.hep.org.au/c-me foranyone else who would like to beinvolved in the campaign.Reprinted fromThe Champion,newsletter of the Hepatitis NSW C meproject. Edition 3, May 2013C me WANTS YOU!Become a member of Hepatitis NSW and join the movement to achievea world free of viral hepatitisC me - Community action on hep CPolare page 12July-September 2013

News Items of InterestRADFEM RISEUP 2013CONFERENCE BARRED FROMMEETING PLACE IN TORONTO,ONTARIO FOR BEING ANTI-TRANSThe Radfem Riseup organisation of radicalfeminists has been banned from holding its2013 conference at the Beaver Hall Gallery inToronto, after complaints were received thatthe conference was non-trans-inclusive. Theconference, organised by a group who are alliedwith Deep Green Resistance that calls for theabolition of industial civilisation and a return to“natural” living. Theradical wing of thisorganisation believes thatgender is used as a castesystem to oppress womenand would like to eliminatethe concept of genderentirely.The group has beencriticised in the past forallowing only womyn-born-womyn toparticipate and for writings and speeches by itsleaders that maintain that transwomen are notwomen. They profess to being sympathetictowards transwomen but that they disagree onthe definition of gender and therefore havedifferent aims and priorities.One of their blogs states that “Genderists thinkgender is an identity, an internal set of feelingpeople might have. Radical feminists thinkgender is a caste system, a set of materialconditions into which one is born. Radicalfeminists are critical of gender itself. We arenot gender reformists - we are genderabolitionists.Without the socially constructed gender rolesthat form the basis of patriarchy, all peoplewould be free to dress, behave and love others inwhatever way they wished, no matter what kindof body they had.”MICHAEL FERNANDEZ,, DRUG ANDALCOHOL WORKER, HONOUREDDrug and Alcohol worker, Michael Fernandez,has been awarded the Order of Australia formore than twenty years work on the preventionof communicable diseases such as hepatitis C.Issue Ninety-SixSEX DISCRIMINATIONAMENDMENT BILL PASSED BYFEDERAL GOVERNMENTThe Discrimination Act has at long last beenamended to include LGBTI people who willhave the same protections against discriminationas anyone else, including the much-discussedremoval of the exemptions that allowed religiousorganisations to discriminate against the agedin care facilities (see also p.24).The religious exemption was opposed in theSenate, led by George Brandis who eventhreatened to remove the support of theOpposition to the entire Bill if it was not amendedby removing the religious exemption, claimingit violated the freedom of religion.Liberal Senator Sue Boyce defied Coalitionpolicy who said that she didn’tthink “religious organisationscan have it both ways. Theycannot say, ‘we don’tdiscriminate ... but we don’twant any legislation thataffects the way we treatpeople.’” She crossed thefloor and voted in favour ofremoval of religiousexemptions, thus allowing theSenatorSue Boycevote to move to the Lower House, where, despiteopposition from Liberal and National Partymembers, it passed into law.MALAYSIAN LEGISLATOR HIRESTRANSGENDER AS POLITICALSECRETARYTeh Yee Cheu, a Malaysian assemblyman hashied a transwoman, Hezreen Shaik Daud, 33, toassist in gathering data and attempting to lowerthe social stigma associated with transgender.Hezreen admits to feeling nervous but is lookingforward to the challenge. She statesthat even when transgenders arequalified they are often turneddown because of his or her status.Teh announced the appointmenton Wednesday 10 July with topHezreenShaikDaudaims including accessibility tohealth care, to employment andequality in schools and hospitals.Polare page 13July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixMany of us share a history of finallyarriving at the time when we facedthe reality of our true gender and theconsequent realisation that, whatever decisionwe took to do something about the situation itwas going to be painful in terms of our futurerelationships with partners, family, friends andcolleagues.In common with many of you,this certainly proved to be soin my experience, especially inview of the fact that I’d beenmarried with children for some38 years.Furthermore, at the time I wasliving in a part of the countrywhere fundamental, conservativeChristian values are,to this day, the foundation ofmany people’s lives.In turning my life around I hurtmany people who’d known,trusted and respected me overmany years. This wasespecially true in the case of mylovely wife, my children andgrandchildren, the last-namedfor their entire lives.Although, by and large, most people took itmuch better than I’d expected, it was inevitablethat those closest to me, my family, would feelbetrayed and angry. This manifested itself inattempts to use the law to stop me. When theyfailed, their only recourse was to banish me.The point of this snippet of personal history isthat, whatever negative reactions we may facefrom people we’ve hurt, it was my decision thatled to it. I refuse to be angry at those who fail tounderstand me. I certainly understand them. Ican’t see myself as victim. It is they who arethe victims.Over the last couple of years I’ve listened tonumerous tales of rejection and humiliation.Many of them heart-rending but, by and large,related in terms of matter-of-fact resignation orexpressions of a dogged determination to makethe best of things, no matter how challengingthey may be..There’s mostly a robust refusal toplay the ‘victim’. It’s all a matter ofPolare page 14July-September 2013Speaking Personally by MarikaMarikaattitude.What I find sad, however, is to hearsome individuals repeating, over and over, theirtales of woe and injustice to anyone preparedto listen. Sometimes to the extent that their storyand their identity become almostindistinguishable.I do realise of course, that having said all this,you could be excused for concluding that,perhaps, what I’m actuallyexpressing is a degree of guiltfor putting my loved onesthrough all the dramaassociated with my ‘comingout’ and subsequentreassignment. Well, it’s not. Idid what I had to do.There were two options andI chose life. Admission ofguilt, I believe, would simplyhave provided the excuse toavoid informed action. A wayof buying time out of thepressing need to make someclear choices. A weakness ofcharacter.Besides, I also happen tobelieve that regret is invariably an awful wasteof energy. It’s only good for wallowing in...Isn’t it strange though, that, within our ranks,the loudest voices protesting injustice, in termsof acceptance by the wider community, tend atthe same timeto behave in ways almostguaranteed to draw negative attention. I don’tthink it’s simply the volume of these voices, butrather their insistence that we’re somehowdeserving of special consideration.I don’t think so!!! I’m sure the slogan ‘Out andProud’ was never intended to encouragedefiantly anti-social behaviour or a totaldisregard for generally accepted norms of publicdecorum.It’s so maddeningly frustrating to have mypersonal progress in terms of mainstreamacceptance as just another woman, underminedby attention-seeking or demanding individuals.I’m not a ‘goddess’, a ‘princess’, or anythingmore than simply someone trying to maintain a

Issue Ninety-Sixlifestyle that I’ve worked very hard to achieve,and will continue to work at.My aim is to merge so seamlessly that mygender history is not an issue. I know that soundsunrealistic. Maybe it is, but I remember readingsomewhere: “If you think you can, you’re right.If you think you can’t, you’re right.” In short,it’s all about self-confidence. To use anotherquote, attributed to Anita Roddick, theBodyShop founder: “If you feel gorgeous,you’ll look gorgeous.” In other words, all thefinery, make-up and heels are pointless if youcan’t wear them with confidence. On the otherhand, if you do have the confidence, if you’re‘comfortable in your own skin’, maybe propsare mostly unnecessary.In fact, it’s often the props themselves; theprecipitous heels, the skirts that are too tight ortoo short skirt, the extravagant ‘bling’ or the‘pancake’ make-up, that scream out for negativeattention.Having said this, however, those of you who’veread my earlier columns will recall myexpressing a personally-felt obligation topresent always in one’s true gender in such away as to avoid causing confusion and socialembarrassment for others.But what’s so hard, I wonder, about simplyaiming to be a nice, modest girl or woman.Heaven knows, there are enough of them outthere. Just look and learn....In the process of planning an impending trip toIndonesia with girlfriends, a travel-piece byGillian Kendall in the May edition of LOTLmagazine caught my eye on a related subject.To paraphrase, she advises that, when travellingalone in predominantly Muslim or Catholicparts of the world, it’s important to err on theside of modesty. She goes on to suggest that ifyou have some objection to skirts, you shouldat least carry a scarf as a wrap or head-cover,especially when entering holy places. To quoteher: “Dress like the local grandmothers.”No problem for this ‘granny’.She also advises that in such sensitive locations,the use of sunglasses to avoid eye-contact willgo some way to avoiding being harassed in thestreet..... I’d recommend Gillian’s interestingarticle to anyone planning an overseas trip.Anyway, having got all of that off my (nownicely developing) chest, I feel compelled towind up on a really positive note.I don’t seem to have the time to watch muchtelevision lately, but I have managed to tune into ABC2 occasionally, and I’ve been surprisedand delighted to catch a number of programsdealing with gender-identity issues on thatchannel.I say delighted because what struck me was thequality, sensitivity and honest integrity withwhich each was presented. The three thatimmediately come to mind were ‘The Boy whowas Born a Girl’, ‘Head First’ and ‘MyTransgender Summer’..All very good and honest. I really liked the storyof the young F to M. The teenager wasdelightfully candid about his feelings, hisrelationships with friends and fellow studentsand the difficulties around leaving school as agirl and returning the following year as a boy.It was the single mother however who broughta tear to my eye. Although clearly troubled bythe impending loss of a pretty daughter, her stoicdetermination to make her child’s transition asseamless as possible was truly heart-rendingbut, at the same time, heart-warming. Luckychild......Love,MarikaPLEASE BOOK IN ADVANCEUnless your situation involves a seriousemergency, please remember to make anappointment before arriving at the GenderCentre.The GC is understaffed and although wesympathise with your needs we are often fullycommitted and the time taken by you is often timetaken from someone else.Polare page 15July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixFREE!HOME TUTORING IN READING ANDWRITING FOR ADULTS(nights preferred)Call Margot 9335 2536or Mim 9335 2350@ Petersham TAFEPARENTS OF TRANSGENDERCHILDRENThe Gender Centre hosts aninformation and support group forparents who have children (any age)who are transgender or genderdiverse).Meetings will be held on the second Monday ofeach month from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. A clinicalpsychologist will co-facilitate these meetings.A light supper will be available.Contact Liz or Anthony on 9569 2366In Plain English, please!The Australian Government recently issued itsGuidelines on the Recognition of Sex andGender. A draft version came out and everyonewas encouraged to make corrections andsuggestions. The final draft has now appearedand it seems that those of us who bothered tolook closely at the text might have spent thetime more wisely.Page 2, para.7 says that “all AustralianGovernment departments and agencies will treatall people with dignity and respect. The word“all” is unneccesary. There is a footnote on thesame page full of solecisms. Para. 3 of thefootnote mentions that “citizenship certificatesdo not need to be amended for sex and gender...”.This is true as citizenship certificates do notmention gender. The statement is made that “Aletter from a medical practitioner certifyingthat the person has had, or is receiving,appropriate clinical treatment for gendertransition to a new gender, is intersex and doesPolare page 16July-September 2013A.I.E.A.I. Electrology.A.A.B.Th. CIDESCO. ITEC (France)211 Wyee Rd Wyee 2259. Tel: (02) 43572221.Website: www.aielectrology.com.auEmail: aie101@bigpond.net.auTh e o n ly p ro v e n m e t h o d o fP ER M AN EN THa ir R e m o v a l.with:The Gentronics MC160APrecision Blend / Galvanic & Multi ProbeEpilators from the USA.Fully Trained and Certified ElectrologistsNSW Health Certified Skin Penetration CertifiedFor further details and prices, contactAinsley Israel or Shirley Hogue JP NSW on:02 43 572221 or 0412-637726.Midmark M9 Autoclave Sterilisation used in this salon.Justice of the Peace on site for your assistanceSalon Bookings taken from10.00 AM until 6.00 PM Teusday to Saturday inc Public Holidays.Phone: 0243-572221 Mobile A/H: 0412-637726Subsidised Rates apply for anyone undergoing the Gender Reassignmentnot identify with the gender assigned to them atbirth, is acceptable evidence of gender identity.”This should clearly have an “or” interpolatedafter “new gender” and should then read “areacceptable forms of evidence for a revisedgender identity. The terms “change of sex” and“sex reassignment surgery” also appear. Gendercan be changed from the one assigned to us (or,more accurately) we can affirm our gender towhat we always knew it was. There is no suchthing as a change of sex ... not yet, anyway.There are grammatical errors (“different to”instead of “different from” and the use of “them”and “their” to apply to the singular number).The silliest usages of all are on page 10 wherethe term “social footprint” is invented and wherewe are told that people who are transgender areborn “exclusively” male or female. Well, no,most of us had a physiology in one gender anda mind/personality in the other.Social footprint? What meaningless, moronicjargon!Katherine Cummings

Issue Ninety-Six9-4.302013FTM Australia is a membership-based networkwhich has offered contact, resources and healthinformation for men identified female at birth, theirfamily members (partners, parents, siblings andothers), healthcare providers and otherprofessionals, government and policymakers since2001.Pay-It-Forward BinderProgramis a used binder serice that provides useddonated binders to:*** guys in the Australian and New Zealandregion who need a chest binder and arestruggling financially or cannot obtain a binderthrough regular channels e.g.: Centrelinkrecipients, students, individuals who do nothave an income, or do not have the support oftheir families to access binders.The aim is to alleviate some of the dysphoriaexperienced by FTMs and to improve theirquality of life.The Pay-It-Forward program accepts donatedbinders, which are cleaned, sized and passedon to those in need.The service is based on honesty and should notbe accessed by those who are just looking tosave money.Our website is:http://binderprogram.ftmaustralia.org or youcan email: binderprogram@ftmaustralia.orgNewsletterOur newsletter - Torque is published fourtimes a year for the benefit of members,their families and service providers.Torque is available as a pdf documentwhich is emailed to you or available on ourwebsite. All the information about Torqueis on the website atwww.ftmaustralia.org/resources/torque.htmlOzGuys Discussion ListOur e-mail discussion list is called OzGuys.OzGuys - is open to FTM Australia membersliving in Australia and New Zealand.Goals of the discussion list include:• To encourage friendships andinformation sharing amongstmembers• To empower members and theirfamilies in understandingtranssexualism• To encourage members to adoptpositive images of being men insociety and achieve anything andeverything they dream of.For more information please visithttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/ozguys/To find out more or read our resources pleasevisit our website at www.ftmaustralia.orgPolare page 17July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixThe AAs successful launch of the Carmen RupeMemorial Trust earlier this year is awonderful example of what can beachievedAshwhen transgender people andsupporters come together to work in commoncause. The CRMT's official launch at Slidereceived national media coverage, including aneight minute piece on the ABC's 7.30 Report(http://bit.ly/VSmdif ) and picked up the 2013Mardi Gras Award for “Best CommunityEvent”.Held at Slide in Darlinghurst on February as partof the 2013 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival, ourgala event saw a wonderful outpouring of lovefor Carmen and hope of a better future for theTrans* community generally, with over 150guests enjoying an amazing array ofentertainment provided by a star studded castfrom all over Australia and NZ. Footage of themany incredible performances from the nightcan be viewed online at http://bit.ly/1ck5sRM.Carmen's niece and Founding CRMT Trustee Matt Kailey years prior to her passing. We hope to have theChanette Hemopo was joined on stage by her HQ up and running before the end of the year”.mother Tess, Carmen's closest living relative,to share our vision for the CRMT as we set outto honour and build upon Carmen's legacy, withTess also sharing some wonderful stories fromCarmen with our many guests.Among the many other wonderful tributes onthe night, Sydney Mardi Gras Board MemberPaul Savage spoke eloquently of the importanceof Carmen's life in the broader struggle forLGBTI rights.After the launch, Team CRMT workedtirelessly several days building our “MyPolynesian Love” themed float for the 2013Mardi Gras Parade the following weekend.Complete with Polynesian tribal drummers andan extremely colourful 100 person marchinggroup, we wove our way up Oxford Street on 2March. This truly was a magic moment.A number of our marchers shed tears of joy, overpowered by the rapturous response from thegeneral public. The dozens of CRMT volunteerswho generously donated their time to this projectwere richly rewarded a few weeks later whenour float received a Gold Mardi Gras Award for“Show Stopping Parade Entry”. A year earlierour 2012 Carmen' Sea of Love float had beenPolare page 18July-September 2013CRMT “Love Train” Launched to Critical Acclaimby Kelly Glanneynominated for a Silver Mardi Gras Award, butwe didn’t dare to dream we’d go one better thisyear.Speaking about the successful launch, CRMTAdvisory Board Member Kelly Glanney says“It's still early days, but Carmen's family andour Trustees are extremely impressed by thepositive energy and boundless love ourvolunteers have brought to this project thus far.We've achieved so much in a short time and withfew resources.Our launch program included an experimentalmulti-media theatre piece for “Queer Thinking”at the Seymour Centre and a performance onthe main stage at Mardi Gras Fair Day featuringMelbourne-based musician and Trans ActivistPaige Phoenix and Sydney drag chanteuse KokoD'vyne - we also ran a stall at Fair Day. Evenbetter, we've nearly finished renovating theCRMT's new HQ - the very same communitycentre in Surry Hills which Carmen ran for tenSydney Mayor Clover Moore seemed to capturethe mood of the launch and its aftermath bestwhen she said, “Carmen Rupe was an icon forSydney's Transgender community and a tirelessadvocate for GLBT rights. She was a quietachiever who spent decades as a volunteer withmany organisations who provided support tosome of our city’s most vulnerable people. Iknew Carmen and was saddened by her passing.She will be missed by the people she touchedand the community of she was such a strong part.It is heartening that, in accordance with herwishes, the Carmen Rupe Memorial Trust hasbeen established to raise awareness of some ofthe issues faced by our GLBT community. Thisis a fitting tribute to someone who dedicated somuch of their life to helping others”As the CRMT looks forward to building on ourearly success, we're inviting all transgenderpeople and our many allies to become directlyinvolved and share with us the joy of being partof this important project.CRMT Contacts: Ph: 0452 454 965email: kmg@carmenrupe.Facebook:www.facebook.comcarmenrupe.memorialtrust

Issue Ninety-SixGender Centre Events, Workshops and Group Meetings Jan Dec 20131.30pmFeb 4, 25Women’sGroupMar 25Women’sGroupApr 29Women’sGroupMay 27Women’sGroupJune 24Women’sGroupJuly 29 Aug 26Women’s Women’sGroup GroupSep 30Women’sGroupOct 28Women’sGroupNov 25Women’sGroup1.30pm Jan 10Over55sFeb 14Over55sMar 14Over55sApr 11Over55sMay 9Over55sJune 13Over55sJuly 11Over55sAug 8Over55sSep 12Over55sOct 10Over55sNov 14Over55sTBA5.00pm Feb 20YouthGroupMar 20YouthGroupApr 17YouthGroupMay 15YouthGroupJune 19YouthGroupJuly 17YouthGroupAug 21YouthGroupSep 18YouthGroupOct 16YouthGroupNov 20YouthGroup6.00pmJan 4FTMConnectFeb 1FTMConnectMar 1FTMConnectApr 5FTMConnectMay 3FTMConnectJune 7FTMConnectJul 5FTMConnectAug 2FTMConnectSep 6FTMConnectOct 4FTMConnectNov 1FTMConnectDec 6FTMConnect6.00pmJan 14 Jan 14Parents’GroupFeb 11Parents’GroupJuly 8Parents’GroupThe Carmen Rupe Memorial TrustThe Carmen Rupe Memorial Trust (CRMT) is invitingtranspeople with a passion for making a difference tojoin their Advisory Committee.The CRMT is being established as a registered charityto further Carmen’s interest in GLBTI education andsocial justice through philanthropy and communityservice. We are looking for talented, motivated people happy to work in a positive teamenvironment to build an organisation capable of achieving great things in Carmen’smemory.The Advisory Committee will provide the Trustees with input on policy and strategy, will lead or coordinateprojects initiated by the Trust, and will ensure the CRMT’s decision-making processes are informed by thewider community through ongoing consultation. They are especially interested in hearing from members of thetransgendered community, the wider GLBTI community and the Maori and Pacific Islander communities.Former Gender Centre Counsellor, Elizabeth Riley, one of CRMT’s foundation trustees, says:“We’re setting out to build a charitable organisation that will educate and empower transgendered people totake greater control of their own lives while helping others, ultimately to educate and engage the wider societyin support of all gender-diverse individuals.For further information please contact Kelly on 0452 454 965Polare page 19July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixEveryone’s sex drive is different, andeveryone responds differently to thisparticular biological force. So, althoughI am posting this in response to a question fromone of the readers of my column, I need to makeit clear that my experience with testosterone ismy experience with testosterone. I have heardsimilar stories from other trans men, but theywill have to speak for themselves.One of the most interesting things about theeffects of testosterone and trans me is that wehave something else to compare it to. Nontransmen do not. And non-trans women do not(which is why I wrote a column on “It’s thetestosterone: what straight women shouldknow”).When I started testosterone a dozen years ago,I expected my sex drive to increase. The“horror” stories are part oftransman lore, passed downfrom generation to generationas we all gear up for maleadolescence, no matter how oldwe are, and take out a line ofcredit at the adult toy store.And it did increase, within aboutfour days of my first shot, and Ibasically squirmed a lot for twoyears before I got used to it. ButI was planning for that. Here arethe things that took me bysurprise:> It became very focused on one thing - thegoal, the prize, the end. That doesn’t mean thatI wasn’t able to “make love”. What it doesmean is that there was a madness in my method,because it was goal-oriented. There was a lightat the end of the tunnel. There was a pot of goldat the end of the rainbow. There was anunguarded hoop just waiting for a slam dunk -score!> It became very visual. I saw it, I wanted it -whatever it was. This was a new experience forme, because, in the past, I had not been arousedso much by pictures and body parts (or picturesof body parts) as I had been by words - eroticdescriptions, stories, and things said to me.> It became very visceral - instinctual - with aneed to take care of it. It had very little to doPolare page 20July-September 2013Testosterone and FTM Sex Drive, FTMMatt Kailey, firstadolescence, 8thGradeAdolescence by Matt Kaileywith romance, or even an attraction that madesense intellectually. You’re hungry, you eat.There was a matter-of-factness about it,especially when I was by myself. Hmmm ...peanut butter sandwich sounds good. Okay,done. Let’s move on.And that was how it changed. And I need to addsome caveats here.The first is to remind everyone that this was myexperience. I cannot speak for anyone else.The second is to point out that there are, nodoubt, both men and women who haveexperienced or do experience something verysimilar. We can speak in general terms aboutthe differences between men and women (and Ipersonally believe, in general terms, that thereare differences). But those generalities cannotbe assumed to apply to all individual men andwomen.The third is to totally refute the claimsthat have been made over the yearsthat “all men are rapists if given theopportunity” and similar accusations.I think this is utter nonsense, as is theidea that men “can’t controlthemselves”.And last, these things change. Eitherthey eventually become less intenseor we adjust. We are going through amale adolescence, and we survive andcome out the other side as adults.And unless we are truly fourteen (I was 42), wehave a little bit of maturity and the intelligenceto know what’s happening to us and how tohandle it. This maturity and intelligence is whatallows most men and women, trans and nontrans,to have loving adult relationships thatsucceed on many levels.You only go through adolescence once (or, ifyou transition, twice) so hopefully you enjoyedyours.Now, have that peanut butter sandwich andmove on.Reprinted with permission from Matt Kailey’s excellentweekly interactive blog, Tranifesto, which can befound at tranifesto.com

The Health In Difference ConferenceMelbourne 2013 by Edwina KeelanAged care was top of the agenda at the HealthIn Diference Conference held at the NovotelHotel, St Kilda from 18-20 April 2013. KathyNoble was one of the principal speakers and hadhelped to produce a booklet for the Minister forMental Health and Ageing as a guideline foraged care facilitators and deliverers/teachers/trainers in respite and aged care facilitiesincluding home-based communitycare.The booklet, titled WelcomeNeighbour”, encourages equaltreatment for all. The Foreworddeals with GLBTI and presentingin public; and with trans issues, drugaddiction and intersex issues; andcaring for the person and for thetransgender ageing network and theconclusion is about GLBTI whocome into care in the aged caresystem.Beyond Blue played an importantrole in the Conference (“Stop,Think, Respect”) and presented awell designed poster showing sixindividuals and their stories.Some who feature in this campaignwere speakers at the Conference andwere active community participantsat some of the lectures anddiscussions, which were about sex-workers andsex and intersex and trans* and the anti-violenceproject being run by ACON.HEADSPACE were also at the Conference,offering resources and offering those in needtelephone counselling. The help was generallyfriendly and confidential, and inclusive languagewas emphasised. Keywords such as “equality”were emphasised in preference to “gay” whendiscussing topics such as marriage rights inAustralia.Suicide Prevention Australia played animportant part in the Conference.Melbourne on the 24-26 July at the SofitelMelbourne on Collins will be another chance toparticipate: learn-experience-approach thediscussion of suicide. A few universities fromIssue Ninety-Sixaround Australia were also represented at theConference.The effects of sexual orientation identitydisclosure and discrimination against thewellbeing of GLBTI employees was also dealtwith, and workshops about sex workers and sexwere also on the agenda.Health professionals, clinicians,sexologists, psychologists,doctors ... allparticipated in discussions andworkshops.Living independently at homewas also on the agenda andthere were discussions onhealth and ageing and atelephone counselling servicetargeting men was alsoforeshadowed.Val’s Cafe, the Safe SchoolsCoalition Victoria, Webwise,Rainbow Network, VictoriaTraining, Gay Lesbian HealthVictoria ... all these arededicated GLBTI healthinitiatives. In other StatesQueensland and Sister Girlsare working on major projectsimproving health outcomesamong sister girls.Edwina Keelan at theHealth in DifferenceConferenceVictoria is doing excellent work to improve thehealth outcomes of GLBTI.A smoke-free workshop was also set up althougha lot of talk about hotels and clubs being smokefreewas less convincing than many of the topicsdiscussed at the Conference.The emphasis was on inclusiveness and theneed for accreditation and authority to back upsuch moves was also talked about.There were a number of surveys conducted atthe Conference and the results of these surveyswill be of great interest when they are published.Edwina Keelan is a Disability Services Employee, amember of the All-Nations Housing Association Co-op,and a Member of the TAFE Crystal Street AdultVolunteer Tutorial in Numeracy and Literacy Set SkillsPolare page 21July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixThe ACON Lesbian and Gay Anti-Violence Project can be contacted on(02) 9206 2116or Freecall 1800 063or avp@acon.org.auQUEENSLAND GENDER CENTREThe Queensland Gender Centre is run solely by atranssexual in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia withthe aim of assisting those in need of accommodationand assistance. It is open to all those who identifyas transsexuals and who are mentally stable and drugand alcohol free.The location of the shelter is kept confidential toprotect the tenants. The accommodation is in anupmarket suburb on Brisbane’s upper north side.You can stay either up to six months or twelvemonths and we can house up to six people at a time.If you want more information or are interested inassisting with the project, please telephone, write oremail the Queensland Gender Centre. PO Box 386,Chermside South, QLD, 4032. Tel:(07) 3357 6361Central Coast TransgenderSupportThe CCTS is a totally free andunfunded service to all with genderissues. It offers guidance to all whoare contemplating commencementof the medical and psychologicalrequirements that are involved infull MTF transition under theHarry Benjamin Standards ofCare.The Centre also provides access tohigh quality, subsidised andcertified permanent hair removaland offers alternative direction andinstruction for the control andmanagement of problem hair orchronic hirsutism.CCTGS operates Monday toSaturday 10am-10pmPh:0404 054 000Email:smh101@exemail.com.au○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○L E G A L P R O B L E M S?The Inner City Legal Centre will be providing advicesessions for clients of the Gender Centre.The ICLC can advise in the following areas:family law | criminal matters | fines | AVOs | victim’scompensation | employment | identity documents | policecomplaints | discrimination | domestic violence | sexual assault| complaints against government | powers of attorney |enduring guardianship | wills | driving offenses | credit anddebt | neighbourhood disputesDates for 2013 have not been set but sessions willbe held monthly. To make an appointment pleasecontact a Gender Centre Staff member on 9569 2366or email reception@gendercentre.org.au. Bookingsare essentialPolare page 22July-September 2013NOTEFor after-hours counsellingcontact Lifeline on 131 114or Gay and LesbianCounselling Service 5.30pm-10.30pm seven days on (02)8594 9596 or 1800 105 527www.glcsnsw.org.au

Issue Ninety-SixChristmas in AugustThe Gender Centre will hold its annual Christmasin July barbecueat theJoseph SergeantCommunity Centre,60 Prospect Street,Erskinevilleon:Saturday 24 Augustfrom 12 noon until 4.00pmThe Gender Centre & Aurora Foundation present:Transtopia 2013gender-questioning?gender-queer?Transtopia is a monthly group to be held over ten months in 2013for transgender youth between the ages of fourteen and nineteen...It aims to provide a safe, fun space for young people to connectwith others, enjoy safe activities and talk about the issues affectingthe trans youth of Australia.For information call Anthony at the Gender Centre (02) 9569 2366Polare page 23July-September 2013

25 June 2013Issue Ninety-SixOn 31 May 2013, in a momentous rulingfor sex and gender diversity, the NSWCourt of Appeal held that the word"sex" is not limited to "male" or "female", beingthe first court in Australia to do so andoverturning an ADT Appeals Tribunal Decisionin the process.At the centre of the case is Norrie,who does not identify as male orfemale. Norrie was born with male sexcharacteristics and underwent a sexaffirmation procedure. Followingthis, Norrie applied to the NSWRegistry of Births, Deaths andMarriages for a gender registration as"non-specific" under the new sectionof the Births, Deaths and MarriagesRegistration Act 1995 (NSW) (Act)which allows persons who haveundergone sex affirmation surgery to changetheir recorded sex. The application was initiallysuccessful but the Registrar revoked thecertificate, arguing that ‘sex’ only meant "male"or "female". This argument was upheld by theAdministrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) andAppeals Panel. The NSW Court of Appeal,however, disagreed.The judgement has been described as landmarkand groundbreaking, and with good reason. Thisis the first time a court has recognised we donot live in a binary world of male and female.The court has not only been able toconceptualise a legally valid option outside thestrict binary male and female, but also to holdthat current legislation is perfectly capable oflegally recognising people who do not identifyas male or female.What, then, does the decision mean?Well, it means some things and it doesn’t meanothers. However, before we go into that, a wordabout terminology. Throughout the judgementthe court uses the phrase ‘sex identity’ whentalking about Norrie’s registered sex. ‘Sexidentity’ in the judgement refers to what aperson’s legal sex is, as it is recorded on a birthcertificate. It is not purely gender identity, noris it purely based on a person’s physical sexcharacteristics, rather it is a combination of both.When it comes to birth certificates, the courtPolare page 24July-September 2013Appeals Court Recognises “Sex Non-Specific”Annotation for Birth Certificates by Emily Christiehas looked at both gender identity and sexmarkers to determine what the ‘sex’ identity isunder the legislation. To what extent genderidentity or physical characteristics are reliedupon will generally depend on the wording ofthe legislation. 1So, back to what the judgementmeans.First, the judgement relates toBirth Certificates and DetailRecognition Certificates. A birthcertificate is a cardinal documentand, unlike your passport or driverlicence, it is the source data foryour identity and is relied upon bymost other legislation. Each Stateof Australia also recognises theother States’ certificates and so,should a person receive a certificate stating sex‘non specific’, this should be recognised bylegislation across all States. This is what occurswith ‘male’ and ‘female’ on a certificate, so wewould hope the same would occur with ‘nonspecific’.The certificate can also usually be usedto amend your sex on other documents andrecords (although in some cases a Passport canbe used instead). As such, having ‘non-specific’on your birth certificate could allow recognitionas ‘non specific’ in a whole range of situations.Just how many remains to be seen.Emily ChristieSecond, the Judgement is about a very specific,narrow, set of facts. The Judges were very clearthat they were only looking at the word ‘sex’ asit relates to people who have undergone sexaffirmation surgery and have applied to havetheir recorded sex changed. The Judges did notethat the word ‘sex’ in other legislation may alsobe interpreted in the same way, so it is possiblethat the Judgement will have flow on effects andit is to be hoped that it will pave the way forothers to be able to argue they, too, are part ofthis category, bringing me on to my next point.Third, while it is possible that the court’sdecision will be followed with reference to otherparts of the Act and other legislation, it will onlyaffect people who personally identify assomething other than male or female; that is, it’sopt-in only and it takes into account genderidentity. This case is the latest in a long line of

policy development, law reform and court casesrecognising the difference between genderidentity and sex characteristics and theimportance of the former with reference to legalrecognition. This case does not change thathistory. Individuals with ambiguous sexcharacteristics who identify as male or femalewill continue to be recognised as male or femaleunder law.Fourth, it doesn’t mean Norrie has a certificatesaying sex ‘non-specific’ - yet. The Court ofAppeal was only ruling on whether sex couldmean something other than ‘male’ or ‘female’and whether it was open to the Registrar toregister Norrie’s sex as non-specific’. The courtanswered ‘yes’ to both and so it’s now up to theAdministrative Decision Tribunal to take thisruling on and re-evaluate Norrie’s application.Finally, there are some laws where sex is quiteclearly meant to be interpreted as binary, whichmay become problematic for Norrie and others.The most obvious is the Marriage Act. Withmarriage defined as being between a man and awoman, Norrie is left in a legal black hole, alongwith those born withintersex variationsalready legallyrecognised as neithermale nor female in otherjurisdictions.The court acknowledged that there may belegislation that only allows for a binaryinterpretation of ‘sex’. Interestingly, the courtdid not see this as a barrier to interpreting ‘sex’as non-binary; rather, they noted that this maybe an area requiring law reform, to ensureNorrie, and others who have similar problemsaren’t left without legal recognition orprotection.Equal recognition and protection under the lawis a fundamental Human Right; but the lawcannot protect you if it doesn't recognise you, itcan only protect a legal fiction of you. It isimperative in such cases as these that we makethe law fit the facts and not force the facts to fitthe law. To have your identity, your own identityrecognised in law, affords you the dignity andthe respect that you deserve as a human being.In our society, it is almost trite to say that sexIssue Ninety-Sixand gender identity are important. It’s vital weget it right.Norrie’s case is the latest development in whathas been, and continues to be, a long and difficultfight for sex and gender diverse people. Victoriaand Western Australia have allowed infants bornwith ambiguous sex characteristics to have anX on their birth certificate for a while now. In2011 the Federal Government allowedindividuals to have an X on their passport andpermitted recognised transgender people tohave their affirmed gender noted on the passporttheir affirmed gender without the need forsurgery.The Government is now expanding theirGuidelines on the Recognition of Gender to allFederal Departments and Agencies,standardising the evidence required to changetheir gender identity on official documents. Inthe last few decades the Australian courts havebeen asked to consider a number of casesregarding sex and gender diversity. Throughcases such as AB v Western Australia [2011]HCA 42 and Kevin v Attorney-General (Cth)“...there are some laws where sex isquite clearly meant to be binary, whichmay become problematic ...The mostobvious is the Marriage Act.”slowlybuiltrecognises that sex is not binary.[2001] FamCA1074; 165 FLR404 a body ofjurisprudence isbeingthatAs I write this, Parliament is due to debate theSex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation,Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Billwhich to protect against discrimination on thebasis of sexual orientation, gender identity andintersex status. And so the struggle forrecognition and equality continues.Emily Christie, a Pro Bono lawyer with DLA Piper, is one ofNorrie's solicitors. She is currently on secondment to theHuman Rights Law Centre.1While detailed discussion is not possible here, it shouldalso be recognised that term "sex identity" itself issomewhat problematic or, at the very least, confusing forthose of us very careful not to conflate the concepts ofphysical sex and gender identity. The appropriateness ofthe use expression into the future is an issue for trans,intersex and gender diverse people to grapple with andexplore with policy makers and legislators.Polare page 25July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixRELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS NOLONGER TO BE GRANTED FORPROVIDERS OF CARE FOR OLDGLBTI IN OZOlder GLBTI people in care will be protectedby the Sex Discrimination Amendment (SexualOrietation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status)Bill 2013.The House of Representatives has passed theBill which removes religious exemptions forCommonwealth-funded aged-care providers.This means that religious providers will nolonger be allowed to discriminate against olderLGBTI people seeking access to aged care.The Bill was opposed by the Shadow Attorney-General, George Brandis, when it was moved inSenate.The NSW Gay and LesbianRights Lobby have campaignedfor over a decade for this revision,and the Victorian Gay andLesbian Rights Lobby said thatthere was a “growing body ofevidence that stigma andGeorge discrimination on the basis ofsexual orientation and genderBrandisidentity are widespread withinthe community and residential aged care,resulting in unmet needs for LGBTI seniors.62 LGBTI CANDIDATES WILL RUNFOR SEATS IN THE CONSTITUENTASSEMBLY OF NEPALThe head of the Blue Diamond Society, Sunil Babu Plant,a former member of the Assembly, has not yet decided ifhe will run in the election on November 19. Onecandidate, Bhumika Shrestha, said that as the politicalparties failed to provide proper space in the past, they haddifficulties in securing proper identities.In 2007, the Nepalese Supreme Court issued instructionsto throw out all discriminatory laws and to look at samesexmarriage policies.Nepal is deadlocked over a new constitution and hasbeen without a legislature since May 2012. TheConstituent Assembly was dissolved at that time by thethen Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. In January anofficial said gender neutral citizenship papers would beissued to those who do not wish to be identified as maleor female.Polare page 26July-September 2013More News Items Of InterestGERMAN ANTI-DISCRIMINATIONBODY DEMANDS REMOVAL OFDIAGNOSIS PROCEDUREThe German Anti-Discrimination body, (Antidiskriminierungsstelledes Bundes) has come out againstthe diagnosis component in gender recognition proceduresas these procedures are often based in practice onthesubjective views of experts and may impose expenseand expense on the individuals concerned.The Federal body also lends its support to reformsdeveloped by trans* groups and activists which heavilycriticise outdated German transsexual laws.MIAMI-DADE COMMISSIONER URGED NOTTO ADD “TRANSGENDER” TO HUMANRIGHTS LAWSA dozen pastors and some parishioners argued againstthe addition of “transgender” to those regulations on thegrounds that people who want to change their sex areabnormal and immoral.“If a grown man or a male is allowed to enter a girl’sbathroom, that’s not normal,” said Rev. Ronald Johnsonwho preaches at the Grace and Truth Outreach Ministry.“Now you so confused you don’t know what you are.You’s a woman, you going into the men’s bathroom,”said Elder James Smith with the ApostolicRevival Centre.“No, I don’t respect that.”Commissioner Sally Heyman said “There’s no wordsabout bathrooms in this ordinance. It’s an expansion ofour human rights ordinance.”The Christian Family Coalition is one of the mainopponents to the proposed expansion. Members havepassed out cards against it, including one showing athreatening, transgender man looking at a girl.*“They (Christian Family Coalition) should be ashamedof themselves, and my -- ironically it’s called the ‘ChristianFamily Coalition’. How un-Christian can you get tospread hate?” said Heyman.The Christian Family Coalition didn’t comment.[*There has never been an authenticatedcase. Prove me wrong. KC]

Diabetes is a lifestyle disease and YOU can dosomething about it!Diabetes is caused by the body’s inabilityto produce enough insulin, or aninability to use the insulin produced.Insulin is a chemical that is produced by thepancreas ,an organ located behind the stomach.If the supply of insulin is insufficient to copewith sugar levels in the blood, then thesymptoms of diabetes become noticeable.These are weight loss and loss of muscle, aconstant feeling of thirst, the need to urinatefrequently and a feeling of tiredness.Diabetes is classified as Type 1 and Type 2.Type 1is less common than Type 2 and usuallydevelops before the age of 40. The body’simmune system attacks and destroys the insulinmakingcells. Being affected by Type 1 usuallymeans a lifetime of insulin injections.Type 2 is caused by the body’s inability to makeinsulin or it creates insulin butthe body cannot use the insulincreated. Type 2 is oftenrelated to obesity and is morecommon in older people.Australians, because of theirlifestyle, are prone to Type 2diabetes but this does notnecessarily cause the subjectto lead an inferior lifestyle,and does not necessarilyimply later serious health problems. DiabetesAustralia provides useful information for thosewho suffer from diabetes on its websitewww.diabetesaustralia.com.au or via theirinformation line on 1300 136 588.Although, as mentioned above, Type 2 is themost common form (affecting 85-90% of allthose with diabetes) it can be managed throughthe adoption of a healthy diet, the use of regularexercise and the use of medication. There is astrong genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetesbut the risk is greatly increased by lifestylefactors that result in obesity, high bloodpressure and a poor diet.Although exercise and a healthy diet areimportant factors in slowing the developmentof diabetes it is frequently the case thatmedication in the form of tablets or insulininjections may become necessary. Adopting theIssue Ninety-Sixnecessary medication in good time is animportant factor in slowing the onset of thedisease.The telltale risk signs of diabetes Type 2 includethe following:age)Family history of diabetesBeing past middle age (over 55 years of Being over 35 years of age and being anAborigine or Torres Straits Islander background Being over 45 years of age and beingoverweight Being over 45 years of age and havinghigh blood pressure Being over 35 years of age and from thePacific Islands, Indian subcontinent or Chinesecultural background Being a woman who has given birth to achild over 4.5kg (9lb), or had gestationaldiabetes when pregnant, or had a conditionknown as Polycystic Ovarian SyndromeBeing a smokerSymptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include thefollowing:Excessive thirstExcessive urinationSlow healing of cutsSkin infections and itchingBlurred visionOften feeling tired and lethargicConstant hungerMood swingsDizzinessInability to keep weight offHeadachesLeg crampsType 2 Diabetes is very common and should notbe ignored. If you fall into any of the categoriesabove, or if you suffer any of the symptoms ...seek advice. The longer you hide your head inthe sand and fail to take action, the more seriousyour condition may be when you do take mattersinto your (and your doctor’s) hands!Polare page 27July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixHi, I’m Michelle and I’m one of the Outreachworkers here at the Gender Centre. I’m prettynew to these parts, having only been at theGender Centre for about eight months. But I’veworked with the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay,Bisexual, Trans* & Intersex) community indifferent roles for the past 2 years. You couldsay I’m pretty passionate about building a strongand resilient community that celebrates all thecolours of the rainbow (if you don’t mind megetting a little bit hippy-dippyon you :)).Every Wednesday nightBirdie (the Thai-speakingoutreach worker) and I fire upthe GC’s little blue van andvisit trans* sex workers allover Sydney. We see workersin brothels, in their homes andon the streets – wherever sexworkers are, we go.We hand out free safe-sexpacks and fit packs andhormone needles, but mostimportantly we talk toworkers about anything andeverything – from questionsabout legal stuff, to why is theindustry so goddamn quiet atthe moment (?!), to sexualhealth info, to how to dealwith a client that falls in love with you, or prettymuch whatever comes up.If it’s a bigger issue that we can’t address thereand then, we follow up with more information,referrals and more intensive support options. Theworkers we see are very diverse – from allpromises&limitationsPolare page 28July-September 2013Outreach Worker’s Column by MichelleMichelledifferent backgrounds, and ages (includingworkers in their 60s), all different bodyshapes,and all different gender identities. No,they’re not all thin, young, glamorous trans*women that pass all the time. Nor are they alldrug-dependent street workers.You’d be surprised how many people don’t fitthe stereotypes that we hold about the sexindustry. Much like the trans* community ingeneral, the trans* sex working community ismuch more than we see inthe media.Why do we do outreach?Because trans* sex workersare doubly marginalised.Not only do they experiencediscrimination based ontheir gender, but also on thebasis of their profession.Services like ours provide anopportunity for workers tonot only get accurate infoand work supplies, but alsosupport.Having said that, manytrans* sex workers standstrong and fierce in the faceof this adversity, and mightnot actually need support oradvice.But luckily, everyone needs condoms (orgloves or lube or dams or fit packs) :). So ifyou’re a trans* sex worker and you want us tovisit you, just email me atoutreacheducation@gendercentre.org.au ortext me at 0408 088 331.The Centre for Social Research in Health (formerly the National Centre in HIV Social Research) invitesyou to the 13th Social research Conference on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Related Diseases to be held 20-21 February 2014 at the University of NSW, Sydney.The theme of the conferences is promises & limitations: biomedical treatment and prevention inthe real world. Delegates will be asked to consider how biomedical technologies shape our understandingof the treatment and prevention of blood borne viruses, illicit drug use, chronic illness and sexually transmittedinfections. The conference offers an opportunityto think critically about biomedicalisation, specifically the waythat it helps or challenges understandings of treatment and prevention, the promises it holds and the extentto which these promises materialise.Registration and abstract submission open 15 july 2013. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is 30 September 2013.

Issue Ninety-SixOver 55s GroupA Mature Person’s GroupProgramme July- September 2013In the July-September quarter, rather than havinga set topic for each meeting, there will be anOpen Forum. which means that those presentcan discuss anything they wish, and/or use thetime for social interaction and conversation.Thursday 8th August 1.30pm to 3.30pmOpen ForumThursday 12th September 1.30pm to 3.30pmOpen ForumThis group provides opportunitiesfor the sharing of experiences and talkingabout our future goals as individuals.Come and enjoy your participation in thisinteresting GroupAnalysis of over 55 Group QuestionnairesQuestionnaires were distributed and completed atseveral meetings. They were inserted in Polare 95and placed on the front page of the Gender Centrewebsite. There were no returns from Polare of thewebsite. Seven questionnaires were distributed andcompleted at meetings. Of the seven people, fivewere women with a transgender history. There wereno transmen as no transmen have attended thisgroup.Age distribution:70+ 260-69 4Under 60 1Q1 Attended previously? YES 7Q2 Would come again? Definite YES 4Q3 Why not come again? Low attendance, other lifecommitments.Q4 Priority of preferred program/activity:First priority: Social InteractionSecond priority: Open forum with leaderThird priority: Social outingQ5 Suggestions to encourage attendance: Invitetransmen; meal outing (restaurant, club,picnic); guest speakers; volunteer as a group.Q6 Is: 1.30pm Thursday time suitable. YES 7Prepared by Joanne Coleman (joancol3@bigpond.com)RPA SEXUAL HEALTHCLINIC24 Marsden Street, Camperdown,NSW, 2050PHONE: (02) 9515 1200WHAT DOES THE SEXUAL HEALTHCLINIC DO? Testing, treatment and counselling forsexually transmissible infections, includingHIV Gay men’s sexual health check-ups Sex worker health checks Men’s and women’s sexual health checkups Advice on contraception Pregnancy testing and counselling Free condoms and lubricant Needle and syringe program and sexualhealth check-ups for people who injectdrugs Hepatitis testing and vaccination Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for HIVWHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU VISIT THECLINIC FOR THE FIRST TIME?You will be asked to fill out a registration form.The information you give us will remain confidentialand will be put in a numbered file. Keep this numberand quote it for any test results and when makingfuture appointments.A nurse will determine whether you need to see adoctor or nurse for a medical issue or a counsellorto discuss information on sexual health, safer sex orrelationship issues.SOME COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONSDo I need an appointment? Yes, appointment ispreferable.Do I need a Medicare card? No, you don’t needa Medicare card.Do I need to pay? No, all services are free.Do I need a referral from a doctor? No, simplycall 9515 1200 for an appointment.(Interpreters available)Polare page 29July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixSex, Gender &Sexuality ClinicDirector: Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH, NDDoctor of Clinical HypnotherapyPsychotherapistCounsellorSex TherapistAll Sex, Gender and Sexuality Diverse PeopleWelcome: Transsexual, Transgender, Transvestite,Intersex etc.Hormonal & Surgical Referrals When Applicable.Member of World Professional Association forTransgender Health (WPATH).Also Available: Naturopathy, Herbal MedicineDietitian, IPL Laser Hair Removal,Microdermabrasion, Non-Surgical Facelift02 9571 4333www.tracieokeefe.comwww.healtheducationcentre.comPACFAASSERTASOCHA“Compelling infreshness.”- Del LaGrace Volcano“The genius of the editorsis in capturing thesedifferent visions.”- Christine Burns, VP ofPress for Change, UK“A rich and varied array ofinformative andprovocative stories ofrelationships.”- Jamision Green“Do not neglect this book.”- Professor A.W. SteinbeckAn anthology of real-life stories by transpeople of their experiences of being in loveContributors include Sydney legend ‘Carmen’ and aforeword by Kate Bornstein & Barbara CarrellasPublished by Routledge, 2008(In stock at The Bookshop and the FeministBookshop in Sydney, and at Hares &Hyenas in Melbourne).Still available: Finding the Real Me: True Tales of Sex & GenderDiversity, eds: Tracie O’Keefe & Katrina FoxDon’t put up with it — Don’t let them get away with itSTOP DISCRIMINATIONContact the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSWGet free confidential advicePhone (02) 9268 5544 or 1800 670 812 for people outside Sydney.If you need an interpreter call 131 450 first. TTY 9268 5522.Email adbcontact@agd.nsw.gov.auM a k e a c o m p l a i n tVisit our website at: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/adbto download a complaint form.Email complaintsadb@agd.nsw.gov.auChange of Mailing Details? Different Name? Different Address?Different gender?Don’t want Polare any more?My OLD details:My New details:Mail to: The Editor, Polare, PO Box 266, Petersham, 2049Polare page 30July-September 2013

Transgender Anti-Violence Project (TAVP)The mission of the Transgender Anti-Violence Project is to provide education, support, referrals andadvocacy in relation to violence and oppression based on gender identity.Issue Ninety-SixThe Project addresses all forms of violence that impact on the transgender, gender diverse and genderquestioningcommunity, including (but not limited to) domestic violence, sexual violence, anti-transgenderharassment and hate crimes.Transphobic crimes affect many gender-diverse people in Australia each year.The Transgender Anti-Violence Project provides a range of free, confidential services and has alreadyhelped a number of people who have experienced incidents that include verbal abuse, physical attacks,bullying, harassment and discrimination.The TAVP needs to know about your experiences to be able to help you personally and to document theevent in order to stop it from happening to others.What can I report?You can report anything to the TAVP. Some examples follow: Physical assaults Verbal abuse and threats Sexual asaults Stalking Domestic violence Family violenceWhen you make a report to the TAVP you will be assigned a support worker, to asess thenature and level of support you may require. The Project will then provide you withongoing assistance and referral services, including support when reporting to police,counselling, legal support, court support and medical support and follow-up support.To make a report, call the Transgender Anti-Violence Project on 9569 2366or 1800 069 115 or report online at www.tavp.org.auDo You Believe You Are Intersexed?If so and you would like to know more and meet others like yourselfthen contact:OII Australia [Organisation Intersexe Internationale]at PO Box 1553, Auburn, NSW, 1835 or at:oiiaustralia@bigpond.comor visit our website at www.oiiaustralia.comPolare page 31July-September 2013

The Transgender Anti-Violence Project ColumnHello! Let me introduce myself. My nameis Tahlia and I am the new TransgenderAnti-Violence Project (TAVP) Officerat the Gender Centre. I’ve been volunteering atthe Centre since the beginning of the year, soyou may have already seen me’round the traps, but I have nowbecome a more permanentfeature of this little terrace bythe park. Some of you mayknow about the TAVP and someof you may not. Before I tell youabout the project and how it canhelp you, let’s start from scratch.What is violence? And howdo I know if what I’veexperienced even counts asviolence?There are many different formsof violence and just as manymyths about what ‘counts’ andwhat doesn’t. Violence maytake the form of physical assault,emotional abuse, sexual assault or domestic andfamily violence. And what if you don’t have cutsor bruises?Emotional or psychological abuse, verbal abuse,threats, harassment, stalking, online abuse orcyber bullying, bullying at school or work,destroying your belongings or even harmingyour pets… that still counts as violence.If you are in a relationship with someone whois restricting your access to money, sociallyisolating you or forbidding you to see yourfamily and friends… that counts too. There areother forms of violence that transgender peoplein particular may experience.This includes having your testosterone, HRT orHIV medication taken away from you and orhaving your trans* identity or HIV status outed– or threatened to be outed – against your will.Nothing is too small to report.Hopefully, you will never experience violenceor harassment related to your gender identity(or at all of course). Tragically, however,transgender people and people of diversegender identities are at risk of experiencingviolence every day. And many do.Tahliaby TahliaIf you (or someone you know) have experiencedany form of violence, harassment or hate crimebased on your gender expression, you don’tneed to remain silent. Speaking up is a start toregaining your sense of self and empowerment.Demanding a life free ofviolence, oppression anddiscrimination on the groundsof your sexual or genderdiversity is a sign of strengthand bravery.That’s where I come in...As the Transgender Anti-Violence Project Officer, I amhere to provide you withsupport in a number of areas.The first and most important areais reporting the violence. If youprefer, you can report to theTAVP without reporting to thepolice. What you tell me orother Gender Centre staff willremain confidential and yourname and other identifying information will notbe released without your permission.When you report to the TAVP, in person, byphone, or online, you can provide me with asmuch information about yourself and theincident as you feel comfortable with.The more information you provide, the moresupport I will be able to offer you and the moreI can try to stop the violence happening tosomeone else.I will support you throughout the process ofreporting to the TAVP and/or the police, seekinglegal advice, accompanying you to court,helping you to get medical assistance, providingeducation, organising counselling, makingreferrals to other services, offering follow-upsupport and advocating on your behalf aboutsituations specifically related to violence,transphobia and hate crimes.Any or all of these avenues might feel right foryou. After reporting an incident to the TAVP,you will not be forced to take any further action.Your experiences mean your decisions.Okay, so maybe I do want to do something aboutit. Now what?

In an emergency, call Triple Zero(000) or find the nearest police station. If it is not an emergency, go to yourlocal police station and/or contact me. Phone the Gender Centre: 9:00am to4:30pm Monday to Friday on 9569 2366 or 1800069 115 (from outside Sydney). Rather report online? Visitwww.tavp.org.au or www.gendercentre.org.auand follow the links.For more information or support, email me attavp@gendercentre.org.au.Remember, experiencing violence is not yourfault. You have the right to be treated withdignity and respect, no matter who you areor how you identify.I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone andyou can get help.Together we canTahliaBarbecues and otherevents 2013Watch the Gender CentreWebsite, Twitter and Facebookfor detailsWOULD YOU LIKE TOHEAR BY EMAIL?The Gender Centre is compiling a listof email addresses of those clientsand friends who would like to benotified of social, support,educational and other functions andevents of interest.Just email usreception@gendercentre.org.auPut “Email list” in the subject lineand give us your first name andEmail address.Queensland Research May Result in Long Term Prevention of AIDSAssociate Professor Harrich has modified a protein in the HIV virus that prevents several steps in the processof moving from HIV to AIDS. The process of gene therapy inserts genes into human cells to create the newprotein. Harrich says that although the process (called Nullbasic) is not a cure for HIV, it is hoped that theprotein could be used to develop a one-ff, long-lasting treatment that would prevent HIV from moving into theAIDS stage.If Harrich’s research continues to provide good results there could be an important impact on those sufferingfrom HIV, as it would provide an alternative from the currently used antiretroviral medication, freeing HIVpatients from the prospect of lifelong medication. Animal trials of Nullbasic will start later in 2013. Earlyindications arepositive but human trials will not commence for some years.Reprinted fromHuman Gene Therapy, published by the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisation.

Issue Ninety-SixA New Life for Dan by Pip Rasmussen“The table was set. The cake was iced. Thecandles were ready to be lit and wished on.But the birthday girl was crying.Dan tried to bring the memory to the surface, butit wavered like a mirage. He thought he wasyounger than ten but older than four. Heremembered the floods of tears rolling down hischeeks as his father tried to make him wear a reddress for the family who would be coming forthe party.He certainly remembered that he was won overwith bribery. His favourite toy, a grotesquelymuscular action figure, was the deal breaker.He would be allowed to hold it despite the factthat it was more of a boy’s toy than a girl’s. Heremembered his knuckles were white fromclutching the toy while his overbearing relativesdoted on how cute he looked in the little dress.“It was kind of ironic,” he chuckled.The early childhood memory of that party wasone of many small details that led Dan to believehe was not really a girl. I watched him as herelaxed into the couch at his Stanmore house,with isosceles-eared Oreo the mutt, cradled inhis lean arms.A tattooed heart peeked out from under hissleeve and a geometric flower folded into hiselbow. The once ebony ink had settled into hisskin casting blue-grey lines that looked as ifthey had lived with him for years. Silver ringswrapped around his nostril and bottom lip,drawing my eyes to the facial hair he nowproudly sported.“You know, I think you’re supposed to saysomething like “You know your real genderwhen you’re young”. You know it’s a ‘thing’but you don’t know what it means, and then itends up getting taught out of you,” Dan said. Herecalled another memory of sitting under the“forty-four home tree” in year three, blurtingout that he was a boy to his best girl friends.There was no burning embarrassment whenthey said they weren’t boys. But there was asinking feeling of disappointment, and a dullache in his rib cage, as if no one in the world waslike him. “I just thought it wasn’t possible.”Dan and I met at an all-girls high school in yearseven. The totem pole was just being establishedPolare page 34July-September 2013-classes were beingstreamed by intellectand students sorted bycolour. All the while,the teachers insistedthat “it’s not acompetition”. Wewere underdevelopedand wideeyed.Our pale bluedresses brushed ourankles. I could stillhear one girl mimic hermother’s screech “I’m notPip Rasmussengoing to pay a fortune on a new dress every year,you’ll just have to grow into it!”.When I saw Dan on that first day, she wassurrounded by what appeared to be the misfitsof our cohort. I was drawn to this group. Wegrew up together, learning our bodies andeccentric styles. Like any decent gang of misfitswe challenged authority with hair colours andpiercings.Dan would wear a fringe to her eyelashes, withstreaks of colour bleached in school holidays. Ifit wasn’t for her height, she might have beenintimidating. She was slight, craning her neck tomeet the eyes of the rest of us. I could grip herwrist with my hand and my fingers wouldoverlap. The corners of her mouth would creaserevealing a broad cheeky smile. And there wasthe way that she unintentionally made othersfeel like a protector as they wrapped their armsaround her. Cute was an understatement. Therewas no way Dan could avoid wearing dressesthroughout his school years so, for a long time,during his teenage years, Dan suppressed hisinner self and ignored the body he was forced toinhabit.. For a long time during his teenageyears, Dan distanced himself from his body andselfhood.“I kind of just stopped thinking about myself aswho I am,” he stared at the moving images of theTV in front of us, unaware of the low whisper ofMTV’s 80s Countdown. “I disregarded itbecause it was uncomfortable. I never thoughtof myself as a girl. In my head, I was eitherneutral or masculine.” While he identified asgay during school, he loathed the word “lesbian”.It had the ability to leave a searing red mark,

Issue Ninety-Sixbranding a female gender onto the soul. He toldme about how his gaming characters wouldalways reflect his inner self, which was male.He even admits his frustration with the characterbuildinggame, The Sims. After the long waitfor his pregnant Sims character to give birth, ababy girl was delivered.He thought about using a simple cheat to“delete” her, but he couldn’t bring himself tomurder a defenceless CGI baby. When I askedabout life before transitioning, Dan recalledmoments of confusion, passing thoughts and adisturbing sense of dissociation from his self.“It’s a bunch of things that build up that showthat there’s this..” His eyes stared down, thickeyebrows furrowed. He was silent but I couldsense his mind struggling to find the words tomake me understand. “There’s this mismatch..It’s not ‘I want to be more boyish’. It’s like‘something’s not right.’”Dan is now twenty, and had been on testosteronefor seven months when we talked. He referredto his situation as a “condition”.Transgender, formerly known as transsexualityand misinterpreted by many, is a phenomenonthat has inconclusive answers, and littleunderstanding or social awareness.The term “transsexuality” had led me into amistaken view on the subject. I had alwaysbelieved it was some kind of sexuality associatedwith homosexuality, but had no reason toinvestigate further until I received a privatemessage addressed to myself and fifty others.“HI people! As some of you may or may notknow i am currently transitioning female tomale (FTM). i am documenting this transitionthrough youtube videos and later on will docomparison pics.“If I have sent you this message it could be fora few reasons.. maybe you have told me youwant to see the videos when I make them, maybeyou have asked me about my transition, or maybei think you’d be interested. or maybe we havenever ever talked about it before and this is mecoming out to you. haha.“if you have any questions or whatevas im opento anything, im doing this for others tounderstand as well as for myself to observe.”Katherine Cummings, a male-to-femaletransgender I interviewed as part of this projectalso sent an email notifying her colleagues ofher transition from male to female (MTF). WhileDan wanted to pave the new pronoun of “he” tohis friends, Katherine did it because she“detested gossip”.Between visits to Dan, I met up with Katherinewho is the Information Worker and Librarian atthe NSW Gender Centre in Petersham. TheCentre was set up almost thirty years ago toprovide services to people with gender issues,particularly intersex, cross-dressing andtransgender. It grew out of weekly supportmeetings for transgendered people at theWayside Chapel who were recognised asvulnerable to abuse and discrimination duringthe 80s.Today, transgender people still suffer the sameproblems. The cold sting of rejection when awife can’t understand why her husband crossdresses,and his bags are sitting by the front doorthe next morning. The skin prickling whenlooking in the mirror and seeing a stranger stareback. The taste of blood, as a skull is crackedagainst the ground.Katherine knew too well the circumstancestransgender people find themselves in, oftenfalling through the cracks of society. Withouthesitation she told me about her life, how shestruggled to be “normal”, married, raised afamily and finally transitioned at the age offifty-one. Her secrets were not frantic scribblesof thought in a notebook, wrapped in clothesand pushed to the furthest corner of a drawer athome. They grew out of a series of talks shegave on the ABC’s “Health Report” and laterpublished as Katherine’s Diary; the story of atranssexual, a book that won the AustralianHuman Rights Award for Non-Fiction in 1992.“Humans are infinitely variable.” Katherine satstraight backed. “And gatekeeping is tight.”Without a doubt, society had a way of promoting‘normal’ notions of sexuality and gender andfiltering out the ‘abnormal’. My mind instantlytook me to my local movie rental shop. Pink andblue divided the children’s section - movies forgirls and movies for boys. I asked Katherineabout how many transgender people live inAustralia. Nobody knows. There are somePolare page 35July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-Sixstatistics thrown around, but they were outdatedyears ago. Often the statistics quoted aprevalence of 1:30 000 for MTF transitions, butProfessor Lynn Conway’s debunked this figure.She estimated that MTF ranged from 1:2500 to1:2000 in the world.These figures were only based on GenderReassignment Surgery. Many transgenderedpeople, however, don’t feel the need to havesurgery, or can’t afford it. Thelack of hard information abouttransgender created prejudicebased on ignorance? Was itany wonder people wereunwilling to identify astransgender?When Dan and I sat in Hyde Park…As Dan andI sat in Hyde Park listening to the cacophony ofhissing bus brakes and rustling trees, I askedhim the question that had been niggling in theback of my head all morning - were transgenderpeople ashamed of themselves? “I think a largemajority of people who transition feel ashamedof it. Many people don’t like to acknowledge it,because they see it as something to fix, youknow what I mean? They see it as being in thewrong body.” He took a breath. “They don’t likefocusing on the fact that they weren’t born theway they felt they should’ve been.”Cross-legged, he picked at the grass. Heexplained that the root of the discomfort andshame was the body. For him, bottom dysphoriawas worse than top.From the day he began injecting testosterone,his body had become a moving image, constantlydeveloping and simultaneously fading. Underthe sun, I could take in how much his body hadchanged through the shadows that defined him- some were new and some old shadows weregone. His thin arms were wired with fresh muscle.His neck was wider, with hair creeping up to hisgrin in a 5 o’clock shadow.His binder denied any shadow as it flattened hischest entirely. The first few months of videodocumentation showed a softer boyish face, avoice dropping up and down as if it were unsureof itself. Seven months on and his voice hadlowered, dropping into husky undertones. I waseven more intrigued by his genuine laughter.Polare page 36July-September 2013Laughter is a reaction that is an integral part ofhuman behaviour, unique to each individual.When Dan laughed, his voice dropped evendeeper into a warm sound that rose from hischest. It sounded so naturally male that I wasmomentarily stunned, unaware of the bustlingcity around us. Reading paperwork, signingdotted lines and paying various professionalswas the only way Dan could get to where he wastoday.To not transition would mean thebody would forever betray themind and heart.Back at his place inthe inner west,scrawled on thebottom of my linednotebook were thecosts of his transition to date.Changing his name, hormone injections,appointments with psychiatrists andendocrinologists, packers (prosthetic genitalia)and binders formed a mind map on the paper.Underlined and circled was roughly $2020. Myjaw dropped. Dan continued to pet Oreo,unsurprised. It was simply a cost he had acceptedmonths ago, and now had to live with for the restof his life.Reflecting on everything I had learnt abouttransgender, I remembered the positiveresponses from people my age to Dan’s originalFacebook message. But I was interested to hearanother generation’s view. I told my grandmaabout Dan’s situation, and she fell silent. “Howdreadful for him. It must be so difficult.” Herquiet words stayed with me from the momentDan and I met in Hyde Park, to when I left hisplace through the broken front gate creaking onits rusty hinge. I believe now it is important forus to be open-minded, especially in areas wedon’t understand.But my grandma, with her eighty-six years ofwisdom, spoke a startling truth. There were arefinancial, physical, emotional, social and legalcosts for people who transitioned transition fromone gender to the other, but they have no otherchoice. To not transition would mean the bodywould forever betray the mind and heart.”Pip Rasmussen is a Media student atMacquarie University. She carried out thisproject as part of her degree and achieved aHigh Distinction .

Issue Ninety-SixPolare page 37July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixThe art of performance has allowedWilliam (Billie) Luscombe, eighteen,to feel comfortable within himself.His innate desire to assume identitiesthat differ from that his own can be attributedto his identification with transgenderism.Billie is a theatre enthusiast who finds greatpleasure in performing his renditions ofRoxanne (Roxie) Hart from the play “Chicago”.Billie says: “I love theatre. It has always been apassion of mine. I love to sing, I love to dancebut most of all I love that theatre is an avenue tobecome another person, likeRoxie.”Like many children, Billie hadan imaginary friend. Her namewas Louise. One of his earliestrecollections was role-playing.He recalls, “I would be helpingmy mum in the kitchen and say:‘Alright, I’m going to go awaynow and I’m going to sendLouise back’ because I alwayswanted to be Louise more thanI wanted to be Billie.” This wasmore than simple child’s play.“I’m transgender. I haveidentified myself as transgender for about a yearnow,” says Billie. He explains: “I feel like I’ma woman trapped inside a man’s body. I justthink that I am in every way a woman, exceptphysically.”Billie has associated with the female genderfrom a very young age. He says: “My name isWilliam but I hate that. I’ve always been Billie.I’ve spelt Billie with an ‘ie’ since I was abouteight because I figured that was the way girlsspelt their names.”In the exploration of his true identity, Billie hasconsidered being asexual, bisexual andhomosexual.It was his cousin and well-known sex activist,Zahra Stardust, who introduced him to theconcept of transgenderism. Billie says: “Havingmajored in gender studies as part of her degree,Zahra was the most understanding.She gave me some pamphlets on transgenderismand said: ‘It might not be who you are but youPolare page 38July-September 2013Behind The Scenes With Billie LuscombeRoxie aka Billieby Alexandria Wilsonshould read into it’.” This enabled Billie to feelcomfortable within himself.He was given the opportunity to host the fashionparade of the Coco Chanel Ball held by theUniversity of Technology, Sydney (UTS). “Iwas able to perform this character and [theaudience] responded really well. They reportedto the organisers and said: ‘Billie was fantastic!He was so funny, so warm and full of energy.’”,says Billie. “Sometimes I can’t help but thinkthe same people in a different situation mightthink I’m a bit strange.”Billie.Billie hopes to find acceptancebeyond the stage and within thebroader scope of society. In hishometown, he was blatantlydiscriminated against. “I livedin Nowra until I was seventeen.Moving to Sydney was alwaysthe plan because I didn’t reallyenjoy Nowra. I guess I wasnever really accepted. I wasshouted at on the street. I waseven spat on. I was obviouslynot a woman but I wouldpresent myself as one and thatwas way too much for thegeneral population,” saysDespite having to endure the passing ofjudgment, Billie is highly ambitious. “I wouldlove if in ten years time I was a performer. Thatis my ultimate dream. Or married to a rich manand not working,” he laughs. Billie’s advice toother transgender teenagers is, “to not careabout the people who don’t care about you.Surround yourself with the people that love youand disregard the people who don’t.”They haven’t called, theyhaven’t written ...The Editor welcomes contributions fromour readers. Letters, articles, opinionsand life experiences are all welcome.The deadline for contributions for thenext issue is 8th September.

Issue Ninety-SixThe Gender Centre LibraryTo borrow books you will need to become a member of the Library. You will need to supply personal details (phonenumber, address etc.) You can make an appointment to join and see the Library by phoning9569 2366 on Monday or Wednesday.Video tapes and dvds are not for loan but can be viewed by appointment in the Gender Centre.Books may be borrowed for three weeks.If you are isolated for any reason and would like to have material mailed to you, let theResource Worker know. Don’t forget to include your mailing address!Directory AssistanceA.C.T.A GENDER AGENDAworks with the sex and genderdiverse community. This includestranssexuals, transgender people,intersex people, cross-dressersand other non-gender conformingpeople. We acknowledge theimportant role that partners,family members and allies play andthese people are specificallywelcomed as part of ourcommunity.PO Box 4010, Ainslie, ACT, 2602Ph: (02) 6162 1924Fax: (02) 6247 0597E m a i l :support@genderrights.org.auWebsite: www.genderrights.org.auAIDS ACTION COUNCIL OFACTThe AIDS Action Council of theACT provides information andeducation about HIV/AIDS,caring, support services forpeople living with HIV/AIDSWestlund House, Acton, ACT2601GPO Box 229, Canberra, ACT2601Tel: (02) 6257.2855Fax: (02) 6257.4838info@aidsaction.org.auSWOP ACT (SEX WORKEROUTREACH PROJECT)Provides services for peopleworking in the sex industry in theACT.Westlund House,16 Gordon Street, Acton,,ACT, 2601GPO Box 229, Canberra, ACT,2601Tel: (02) 6247 3443Fax: (02) 6257 2855E-mail:aacswop@aidsaction.org.auNEW SOUTHWALESNSW GENDER CENTRECounsellingProvides counselling to residentsand clients living in thecommunity. For more informationor an appointment contact theCounsellor on Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday or Thursday 10am -5.00pm.Outreach serviceAvailable to clients in the innercity area on Tuesday nights from6.00pm to 2.00 a.m. and onThursdays from 10am - 5.30pmby appointment only. Monday andWednesday afternoons and Friday10am - 5.30pm. Also available toclients confined at home, inhospital or gaol - by appointmentonly. For an appointment contactOutreach Worker - 9569 2366.Social and support serviceProvides social and support groupsand outings, workshops, forumsand drop-ins. For moreinformation contact the Social andSupport Worker. 9569 2366Resource development serviceProduces a range of print resourceson HIV/AIDS, medical and otherinformation relevant to peoplewith gender issues and their serviceproviders. We provide printedinformation including a quarterlymagazine Polare and a regularlyupdated website at:www.gendercentre.org.au .For more information contact theInformation Worker on Mondayor Wednesday 9569 2366Drug and alcohol serviceProvides education, support andreferral to a broad range of services- By appointment only. For anappointment contact theOutreach or Social and SupportWorker 9569 2366Residential serviceProvides semi-supported shareaccommodation for up to elevenresidents who are sixteen years ofage or over. Residents can stay forup to twelve months and aresupported as they move towardsindependent living. A weekly feeis charged to cover householdexpenses.Assessments for residency are byappointment only and can bearranged by contacting theCounsellor, Outreach Worker orSocial and Support Worker 95692366.For partners, families andfriendsSupport, education and referral toa wide range of specialistcounselling, health, legal, welfareand other community services areavailable for partners, families andfriends of people with genderissues. For more informationcontact the Social and SupportWorker 9569 2366.For service providers,employers and othersAdvice, support and workshopsare also available to employers,service providers, students andother people interested in genderissues. For more informationcontact the Manager, GenderCentre, 7 Bent Street or PO Box266, Petersham NSW 2049Tel: (02) 9569.2366Fax: (02) 9569.1176manager@gendercentre.org.auhttp://www.gendercentre.org.au2010 - TWENTY10/GLBTYOUTH SUPPORTTwenty10 provides support toyoung transgender, lesbian, gay andbisexual people who are havingtrouble at home or are homeless.We provide accommodation,support, counselling, casemanagement and social support aswell as information and referralsfor young GLBT people and theirfamilies. We run communityeducation programs throughoutNSW.PO Box 553 Newtown, NSW, 2042Youth callers needing help:Sydney local: (02) 8594 9555Rural NSW: 1800 652 010All other callers:(02) 8594 9550Fax: (02) 8594 9559Email: infor@2010.org.auwww.twenty10.org.auACON HEALTH LTDInformation and educationabourHIV/AIDS, caring, support forliving living with HIV/AIDS.41 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, NSW2011 or POBox 350 Darlinghurst,NSW 1300Ph: (02) 9206 2000Fax: (02) 9206 2069tty: (02) 9283 2088ACON-HUNTER129 Maitland Road or PO Box220, Islington, 2296Ph: (02) 4927 6808Fax: (02) 4927 6845hunter@acon.org.auwww.acon.org.auACON-MID-NORTHCOASTShop 3, 146 Gordon StPort Macquarie NSW 2444Tel: (02) 6584 0943Fax: (02) 6583 3810mnc@acon.org.auPOB 1329, Port Macquarie, 2444Polare page 39July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixACON - NORTHERNRIVERS27 Uralba StreetLismore NSW 2480PO Box 6063South Lismore NSW 2480Tel: (02) 6622.1555or 1 800 633 637Fax: (02) 6622 1520northernrivers@acon.org.auAFAO (AUSTRALIANFEDERATION OF AIDSORGANISATIONS)National AIDS lobby and safe sexpromotion organisation.PO Box 51Newtown 2042Tel: (02) 9557 9399Fax: (02) 9557 9867ALBION STREET CENTREHIV testing, clinical management,counselling and support, treatmentand trials for HIV/AIDS.Tel: (02) 9332.1090Fax: (02) 9332.4219ANKALIVolunteer project offering emotionalsupport for People Livingwith HIV/AIDS, their partners,friends and carers. One on onegrief and bereavement service.Tel: (02) 9332.1090Fax: (02) 9332.4219BOBBY GOLDSMITHFOUNDATION (BGF)Provides direct financialassistance, financial counselling,employment support andsupported housing to people inNSW disadvantaged as a result ofHIV/AIDSPh: (02) 9283 8666free call 1800 651 011w w w . b g f . o r g . a ubgf@bgf.org.auBREASTSCREENPhone 132050CENTRAL TABLELANDSTRANSGENDERINFORMATION SERVICEProvides information anddirections for anyone seekingmedical or psychologicalassistance in changing gender.Provides information on genderfriendly services available in theBathurst, NSW Area. Providessupport and understanding forfamilies and friends in a non-Polare page 40July-September 2013counselling atmosphere.Operates 9 am - 8pm Mon - FriTel: 0412 700 924(CSN) COMMUNITYSUPPORT NETWORKTransport and practical homebased care for PLWHA.Volunteers welcome. Trainingprovided.Sydney Mon-Fri 8.00am-6.00pm9 Commonwealth St, Surry HillsTel: (02) 9206.2031Fax: (02) 9206.2092csn@acon.org.auPO Box 350 Darlinghurst NSW1300Western Sydney and BlueMountainsMon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pmTel: 9204 2400Fax: 9891 2088csn-westsyd@acon.org.au6 Darcy Rd, Wentworthville, 2145PO Box 284, Westmead, 2145HunterMon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pmTel: 4927 6808\Fax 4927 6485hunter@acon.org.au129 Maitland Road, Islington,2296PO Box 220, Islington, 2296MacKillop Centre - HunterTraining and development opportunitiesfor PLWHATel: 4968 8788IllawarraMon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pmTel: 4226 1163:Fax: 4226 9838illawarra@acon.org.au47 Kenny St, Wollongong, 2500POB 1073, Wollongong, 2500Mid North CoastOutreach project: by appointmentTel: 6584.0943Fax: 6583.38104 Hayward Street, Port Macquarie,2444POB 1329, Port Macquarie, 2444FTMAustraliaResources and health informationfor all men (identified female atbirth), their partners, familiesand service providers. Forinformation contactFTMAustralia, PO Box 488,Glebe, NSW, 2037.www.ftmaustralia.orgmail@ftmaustralia.orgGAY AND LESBIANCOUNSELLING SERVICEOF NSW (GLCS)A volunteer-based communityservice providing anonymous andconfidential telephone counselling,support, information and referralservices for lesbians, gay men,bisexual and transgender persons(LGBT) and people in relatedcommunities.Counselling line open daily from5.30pm-10.30pm daily (02) 85949596 (Sydney Metro Area - costDirectory Assistanceof local call, higher for mobiles)1800 184 527 (free call forregional NSW callers only)Admin enquiries: (02) 8594 9500or admin@glcsnsw.org.auwebsite: www.glcsnsw.org.auHIV AWARENESS AND HIVAWARENESS AND SUP-PORTFor HIV positive IDUs and theirfriends. Meets on Wednesdays.Contact Sandra or Tony at NUAA.Tel: (02) 9369.3455Toll Free: 1800.644.413HOLDEN STREET CLINICSexual Health Clinic is staffed bydoctors, sexual health nurses, aclinical psychologist and anadministration officer.Mon, Tue, Wed. 9.00am-5.00pm(closed 12.15pm-1.00pm for lunch)Men’s Clinic Thursday evenings5.00pm-8.00pmAppointments preferred (02) 43202114Ground Floor 69 Holden St,Gosford 2250Tel:(02) 4320 2114Fax: (02)4320 2020INNER CITY LEGALCENTREAvailable to discuss any legalmatter that concerns you.Ph: (02) 9332 1966INTERSECTIONCoalition group of lesbian, gay,transgender and other sexualminority groups and individualsworking for access and equitywithin local community servicesand their agencies.Christine Bird (02) 9525.3790KIRKETON ROAD CENTRENeedle exchange and other servicesClinic Hours:Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, 10am - 6pmWed 12 noon-6pmWeekends and public holidays, 10am- 1.45pm ( NSP & methodone only)Outreach Bus - Every Night100 Darlinghurst Road(Entrance above the Kings CrossFire Station Victoria StreetPO Box 22, Kings Cross, NSW,1340Tel: (02) 9360.2766Fax: (02) 9360.5154LES GIRLS CROSS-DRESSERS GROUPAn independent peer support groupfor transgender people. Freetuition, job assistance, friendship andsocials, general information. Bimonthlymeetings.Coordinator,PO Box 504 Burwood NSW 2134(MCC) METROPOLITANMCC Sydney is linked with MCCchurches in Australia as part of aninternational fellowship ofChristian churches with a secialconcern for any who feel excludedby established religious groups.MCC deplores all forms ofdiscrimination and oppression andseeks to share God’ unconditionallove and acceptance of all people,regardless of sexual orientation,race or gender.96 Crystal St, Petersham, 2049Phone (02) 9569 5122Fax: (02) 9569 5144Worship times:10.00 am and 6.30 pmoffice@mccsydney.orghttp://www.mccsydney.org.au/MOUNT DRUITT SEXUALHEALTH CLINICProvides free, confidential andrespectful sexual health information,assessment, treatment andcounselling.Tel: (02) 9881 1206Mon 9.00am-4.00pmWed 9.00am-1.00pmFri 9.00am-1.00pmNEWCASTLE SWOPSWOP at Newcastle has a MobileSexual Health Team4927 6808NORTHAIDSA community based organisationproviding step down and respite carefor PLWHA on the NorthernBeaches.Tel: (02) 9982 2310PARRAMATTA SEXUALHEALTH CLINICprovides free, confidential andrespectful sexual healthinformation, assessment,treatment and counselling.Level 1, 162 Marsden (cnr.eorgeSt) Parramatta, 2150Ph: (02) 9843 3124Mon, Wed, Fri, 9.00am-4.00pmTue 9.00am-1.00pmFri 9.00am-4.00pmPLWHA (PEOPLE LIVINGWITH HIV/AIDS)PO Box 831, Darlinghurst, NSW,2010Ph: (02) 9361 6011Fax: (02) 9360 3504www.plwha.org.auKatoombaPO Box 187,Katoomba, NSW, 2780Ph: (02) 4782 2119www.hermes.net.au/plwha/plwha@hermes.net.auPOSITIVE WOMENCan offer one-on-one support forHIV positive transgender women.

Directory AssistanceContact Women and AIDSProject Officer or Women’s HIVSupport officer at ACON.Ph: (02) 9206 2000www.acon.org.au/education/womens/campaigns.htmREPIDUResource and Education Programfor Injecting Drug UsersMon - Fri, 9am - 5pm Sat & Sun,1 - 5 Deliveries Tue, Fri 6 - 9103/5 Redfern Street, Redfern,NSW, 2016(Redfern Community HealthCentre, enter via Turner Street)Tel: (02) 9395 0400Fax: (02) 9393 0411RPA SEXUAL HEALTHCLINIC provides a free andconfidential range of health,counselling and support services. Ph:9515 3131SAGE FOUNDATION (Sex andGender Education Foundation)A voluntary lobbying organisationmade up of gender variant people tolobby the government to ensure equaltreatment in all respects of life. Sage isnon-profit. All welcome.Ph: 0421 479 285Email:SAGE_Foundation@yahoogroups.comSEAHORSE SOCIETY OFNSWThe Seahorse Society is anon-profit self-help group fundedby members’ contributions. Opento all crossdressers, their relativesand friends. We offer discretion,private monthly social meetings,outings, contact with othercrossdressers, a telephone informationservice, postal libraryservice and a newsletter.PO Box 2193 BoroniaPark,NSW, 2111 or Ph:0423 125(SWOP) SEX WORKERSOUTREACHTRANSGENDERSUPPORT PROJECTProvides confidential services forpeople working in the NSW sexindustry.Lvl 4, 414 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills,NSW, 2010PO Box 1354Strawberry Hills NSW 2012Tel: (02) 9206 2159Fax: (02) 9206 2133Toll free 1800 622 902infoswop@acon.org.auwww.swop.org.auSYDNEY BISEXUALNETWORKProvides an opportunity for bisexualand bisexual-friendly peopleto get together in comfortable, safeand friendly spaces.SYDNEY MEN’S NETWORKWelcomes FTM men.PO Box 2064, Boronia Park, 2111Tel: 9879.4979 (Paul Whyte)paulwhyte@gelworks.com.auPub social in Newtown on 3rdSunday of every month followedby a meal. All welcome.POB 281 Broadway NSW 2007Tel: (02) 9565.4281 (info line)sbn-admin@yahoogroups.comhttp://sbn.bi.orgSYDNEY BISEXUALPAGANSSupporting, socialising and liberatingbisexual pagans living in theSydney region.PO Box 121, Strawberry HillsNSW 2012SYDNEY SEXUAL HEALTHCENTREProvides free, confidential healthservices, including sexual function,counselling and testing andtreatment of STDs, including HIV.Level 3, Nightingale Wing,Sydney Hospital, MacquarieStreet, Sydney, NSW, 2000Ph: (02)9382 7440 or freecallfrom outside Sydney 1800 451624.(8.30am-5.00pm)Fax: (02) 9832 7475sshc@sasahs.nsw.gov.auSYDNEY WEST HIV/HEP CPREVENTION SERVICENeedle and syringe program162 Marsden St, Parramatta,NSW 2150Ph: (02) 9843 3229Fax: (02) 9893 7103TOWN & COUNTRYCENTREDrop In Centre - Weekly CoffeeNights - 24 hour ph line - regularsocial activities - youth services -information, advice and referral -safer sex packs and more! - forbisexual, transgender folks andmen who have sex with men80Benerembah Street, GriffithPOBox 2485, Griffith, NSW 2680Tel: (02) 6964.5524Fax: (02) 6964.6052glsg@stealth.com.auWOLLONGONG TRANTransgender Resource and AdvocacyNetwork.A service for peoplewho identify as a gender other thantheir birth gender. Providing a safeand confidential place to visit,phone or talk about gender issues.Thursday AND Friday 9am - 5pmTel: (02) 4226.1163WOMENS AND GIRLS DROPIN CENTREis a safe, friendly drop-in Centrein inner Sydney for women withor without children. Shower,relax, read the paper, getinformation, referral and advice.Monday to Friday - 9.30 -4.30pm177 Albion Street, SurryHills, NSW 2010Tel: (02) 9360.5388Issue Ninety-SixNational(ABN) AUSTRALIANBISEXUAL NETWORKNational network of bisexualwomen and men, partners and biandbi-friendly groups. ABNproduces a national magazine,houses a resource library and is amember of the InternationalLesbian and Gay Association(ILGA).PO Box 490, Lutwyche QLD 4030Tel: (07) 3857 25001800 653 223ausbinet@rainbow.net.auwww.rainbow.net.au/~ausbinetAIS SUPPORT GROUP(AUSTRALIA)Support group for Intersex people andtheir families. We have representativesin all Australian States.PO Box 1089Altona Meadows, VIC, 3028Tel: (03) 9315 8809aissg@iprimus.com.auwww.vicnet.net.au/~aissgAUSTRALIAN WOMANNETWORKAustralian WOMAN Network isprimarily a lobby and health supportgroup for people who experience thecondition of transsexualism, theirfamilies, friends and supporters.There are email discussion lists formembers as well as a bulletin boardfor both public and member-onlyaccess.www.w-o-m-a-n.netCHANGELING ASPECTSOrganisation for Transsexualpeople, their partners andfamilies. For information, pleasewrite or call.email:knoble@iinet.net.auwww.changelingaspects.comFTMAustraliaResources and health informationfor all men (identified female atbirth), their partners, family andservice providers. Contact FTMAustralia for more information.PO Box 488, Glebe, NSW, 2037www.ftmaustralia.orgmail@ftmaustralia.orgNATIONAL LGBTI HEALTHALLIANCEOffice: (02) 8568 1110Fax: (02) 8212 9013PO Box 51, Newtown, NSW, 2042www.lgbtihealth.org.auPolare page 41July-September 2013

Issue Ninety-SixTRUE COLOURSDIVERSITYTrue Colours represents youngpeople who experiencetranssexualism and a network oftheir parents, families throughoutAustralia. Whether you are aparent, a family member, a carer,a friend or a young personexperiencing the diversity insexual formation calledtranssexualism, you have come toa friendly place. TRUE Coloursoffers mutual support and advocacyfor young people withtranssexualism and their families.We also offer a parents/caregiversemail discussion group.Web: www.trucolours.org.auEmail: Mail@truecolours.org.auInternationalAGENDER NEW ZEALANDA caring national supportorganisation for Cross/Transgenderpeople, their partners and families.For a detailed information pack,please contact:Email: president@agender.org.nzwww.agender.org.nzBEAUMONT SOCIETYNon-profit organisation forcrossdressers throughout GreatBritain. Social functions,counselling and a contact systemfor members. Provides amagazine - Beaumont magazineBM Box 3084 London WCIN3XX Englandwww.beaumontsociety.org.uk/BEAUMONT TRUSTThe Trust is a registered charity,the aim of which is the support oftransvestites, transsexuals, theirfriends and families. It fosters researchinto both psychological andsocial aspects of transvestism andtranssexualism and can providespeakers to address otherorganisations. It produces literatureand arranges workshops, developsbefriending facilitiesand assists with conferences. TheBeaumont Trust, BM Charity,London WC1N 3XX.http://www3.mistral.co.uk/gentrust/bt.htmCROSS-TALKThe transgender communitynews & information monthly.PO Box 944,Woodland Hills CA91365U.S.A.FTM INTERNATIONALA group for female to male transgenderpeople. Provides aquarterly newsletter - FTM.160 14th StSan Francisco, CA, 94103http://www.ftmi.org/info@ftmi.orgFTM NETWORK UKA support group for female tomale trans people. Provides anewsletter - Boys’ OwnFTM Network, BM Network,London, WC1N 3XX, England.www.ftm.org.ukDirectory AssistanceGENDERBRIDGE Inc.Support and Social Society forpeople with gender identity issues,their families, partners andprofessionals involved in care,treatment and counselling.PO Box 68236, Newton, 1145,New ZealandPhone: (64) (09) 0800 TGHELP(0800.84.4357) (24 hrs)www.genderbridge.orginfo@genderbridge.orgGENDER TRUST (THE)A help group for those whoconsider themselves transsexual,gender dysphoric or transgendered.Provides trainedcounsellors, psychologists andpsychotherapists and a there is areferral procedure to a choice ofother therapists.The Gender TrustPO Box 3192, BrightonBN1 3WR, ENGLANDhttp://www3.mistral.co.uk/gentrust/home.htmgentrust@mistral.co.ukINTERNATIONALFOUNDATION FORANDROGYNOUS STUDIES(IFAS)Support, information, advocacyand social events. An incorporatedbody established to advancethe health, well-being, basicrights, social equality and self-determinationof persons of any ageor cultural background who aretransgender, transsexual, transvestiteor intersex, or who are otherwisephysically or psychologicallyandrogynous as well as gay, lesbianand bisexual people.PO Box 1066Nedlands, WA, 6909, AustraliaMobile ph: 0427 853 083http://www.ecel.uwa.edu.au/gse/staffweb/fhaynesIFAS_Homepage.htmlwww.IFAS.org.auIFGE INTERNATIONALFOUNDATION FORGENDEREDUCATIONEducational and service organisationdesigned to serve as aneffective communicationsmedium, outreach device, andnetworking facility for the entireTV/TS Community and thoseaffected by the Community.Publisher of materials relevant tothe TV/TS theme. Produces TV/TS journal -Tapestry.PO Box 229, Waltham, MA02254-0229 U.S.A.http://www.ifge.org/info@ifge.orgIKHLASIKHLAS drop in centre is acommunity program by PinkTriangle Malaysia. Provides anoutreach project, HIV/AIDSinformation, counselling,medication, workshop and skillbuilding for transgender people inKuala Lumpur Malaysia.PO Box 11859, 50760Kuala Lumpur MalaysiaTel: 6.03.2425.593Fax: 6.03.2425.59ITANZ INTERSEX TRUSTAOTEAROA OF NEWZEALANDRegistered non-profit charitabletrust to provide a number ofeducational, advocacy and liaisonservices to intersexuals, theirparents, caregivers, family, friendsand partners within theCommunity and those affected bythe Community.PO Box 9196, Marion SquareWellington, New ZealandTel: (04) 4727 386 (machineonly) Fax: (04) 4727 387PROSTITUTESCOLLECTIVE OFAUCKLAND - NEWZEALANDPO Box 68 509,Newton, Auckland,New ZealandPROSTITUTESCOLLECTIVE OFCHRISTCHURCH-NEWZEALANDProvides a confidential service fortrannies working in the sexindustry.PO Box 13 561Christchurch,New ZealandPROSTITUTESCOLLECTIVE OFWELLINGTON - NEWZEALANDProvides a confidential service fortrannies working in the sexindustry.PO Box 11/412, Manner StWellington New ZealandTel: (64) 4382-8791Fax: (64) 4801-5690Every effort has been made toinclude accurate and up-to-dateinformation in this directory. Toamend your listing fax (02) 95691176 or email the Editor onresources@gendercentre.org.auPolare page 42July-September 2013

Are You Embarrassed by Ugly andIssue Ninety-SixUnwanted Facial or Body Hair?You are not alone, and there is a permanent solution. Everywhere peopleare raving about the results of this amazing method!It is medically and scientifically proven safe over 130 years of use to permanentlyremove your unwanted hair so that it NEVER grows back. This process is called MultiProbe Electrolysis.We are so confident in our results we put our 100% money back Guarantee behind ourwork! So phone NOW. The first 27 people to call and mention this ad will receive ourspecial introductory offer - you pay only $99 for $168 of value - a saving of $69. Consultation Valued at $60 30 Minute Treatment Valued at $75 Melfol Aftercare cream Valued at $30CityDrummoyneDymocks Building,170 Victoria Road,Level 3, 428 George St, Sydney Drummoyne9221 85949719 1391www.permanence.com.auPERMANENCEThe permanent hair removal specialistsNSW SeahorseSocietyis a self help group based inSydney open to allcrossdressers, their relativesand friends. We offerdiscretion, private monthlysocial meetings, social outings,contact with othercrossdressers, a telephoneinformation service, postallibrary service and a monthlynewsletter.THE SEAHORSE SOCIETYOF NSW INCPO BOX 2193 BORONIAPARK, NSW 2111Call on 0423.125.860 and ourwebsite is:www.seahorsesoc.orgEmail:crossdress@seahorsesoc.org“crossdress with dignity”Polare page 43July-September 2013

E L I Z HESA B T TIssue Ninety-SixThe Permanent Solution...in Permanent Hair RemovalFor those who are embarking on the transition from male to female, thepermanent removal of hair is vital. However, with so many clinics andprocedures to choose from, it's crucial that your chosen solution is reliable,safe and permanent.At Advanced Electrolysis Centre, we have been specialising in permanent hairremoval since 1996, continually improving the methods and the technologiesthat deliver the best results. You'll be in the hands of our experienced andqualified specialists, where you'll receive the ultimate level of personal careand attention.We also offer on-site parking for our 3hr clients subject toavailability.Galvanic electrolysis is a scientifically proven technique that is effective nomatter what type of hair you have, and no matter what colour skin. It worksperfectly, even if you have blonde or grey hair. However if you have dark hairthis can be treated by laser or IPL, or in many cases a combination to achievea true permanent result.So, whether you are in need of some general information, or you have alreadydecided on a method that best suits your needs, come in for a chat andget expert advice on how to effectively be free of your unwanted hair FOREVER!SEG TO GR E• Multi probe galvanic 16, 32 and 64 (Dual operator) follicle treatment• Guaranteed Permanent Results• Skin Rejuvenation• Pigmentation Reduction• Red Veins & RosaceaPolare page 44July-September 2013advancedELECTROLYSIS CENTREPhone: (02) 9362 19929 George Street (just off Oxford St),Paddingtonaecsydney.com.auOXFORD STJERSE Y RDQTNU EE S> > ToT y < o Cit < BondiPaddingtonPublic SchoolSt Francis ofAssisi PrimarySchoolCentennialPakr