I read in “Stoking a culture war? No, Nicola Sturgeon, this is about balancing conflicting rights” (Comment) the argument against using self-identified gender as the basis for issuing gender recognition certificates in the UK. I read with interest as this is exactly how mine was issued, here in Ireland in 2022.
I remember arriving at the notary with my family and the solemnity of signing that declaration – that I am a woman. I remember weeping when it arrived, tears of relief, that there I was, a female, recognised by the state. It made me proud that my country, for all its faults, treated me with a dignity that many would say I didn’t deserve. That certificate allowed me to live without the need to constantly explain and out myself. It meant I could interview for a job, get an apartment, travel internationally and live without risking exclusion, discrimination or my safety. Had I waited for “a diagnosis”, I would be at the mercy of a three-year wait list – not unlike the UK. Being transgender is not a pathology and should not be treated as such.
