The Campaign calls on the WA government to:
- Follow through on their commitment to abolish the Gender Reassignment Board (GRB)
- Ensure legal gender affirmation is in line with modern understandings of gender diversity and consent for minors
- Make legal gender affirmation a simple, affordable, administrative process that replaces the focus on medical evidence with a focus on self-identification
- Bring WA in line with most other states
Image description: Advocates Nat, Remus/Laura, Nova, Stevie and Dani standing at the Gender Recognition Now stall at Fairday. They stall has trans flag bunting and they are all wearing shirts that say ‘gender recognition now’
Long time frustrations in WA
During debates for reform in the 1990s and 2000, some trans lobby groups, MLA Diana Warnock and the Greens felt the Gender Reassignment Act did not go far enough, as it only recognised and protected trans people who had medically affirmed their gender. Still, it was passed in 2000 (Transgender Australia: A History since 1910). In 2017 the WA Labor party voted in favour of a motion calling for the abolishment of the Act’s Gender Reassignment Board. There has since been calls from community members and groups to not just abolish the board, but make the whole gender recognition process more available and accessible to all trans and gender diverse people. This includes in the proposal Rainbow Futures WA and TransFolk of WA, in collaboration and consultation with community, sent to the Attorney General’s office in May 2023.
The board has been inoperable twice in the last 12 months due to resignations, meaning a backlog of people waiting months for what should be a simple administrative process. Those who have applied to have their gender legally changed have described the process as difficult, humiliating, expensive, onerous and confusing. For many, the prospect of having to endure such a process has meant it is completely inaccessible. There is currently no pathway for non-binary people born in WA to have their gender legally affirmed.
The community is frustrated and upset and has been for a long time. Change needs to happen now.
Gender recognition and birth certificate refom in other states and territories
No other state has a Gender Reassignment Board. WA and NSW are the last two states working toward gender recognition reform in Australia, after new laws passed in Queensland on 14 June 2023.
Call to action
We are calling on people to contact the Premier and Attorney General to share their stories and outline why gender recognition and birth certificate reform needs to happen in WA as a matter of urgency. Please take part so we can keep the pressure on the Government.
- Visit the Gender Recognition campaign page on Equality Australia’s website.
- Enter your name and email and click ‘next’.
- Add to / personalise the message addressed to Roger Cook and John Quigley.
- Click send!
Further Reading
- WA Labor Accepts Proposal to scrap the Gender Reassignment Board (Aug 2017)
- WA’s Gender Reassignment Board set to be ditched in law reform (Aug 2022)
- WA’s Gender Reassignment Board halts work due to resignation (Dec 2022)
- McGowen Government move to scrap Gender Reassignment Board (Dec 2022)
- Gender Recognition Reform in WA Proposal sent to Attorney General’s Office (May 2023)
- WA’s Gender Reassignment Board is inactive again (Oct 2023)
AG John Quigley refuses to give timeline on gender board reforms (Oct 2023) - Curtis Ward is the New President of the Gender Reassignment Board (Nov 2023)
