My submission on Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill
Make a submission here to oppose this harmful Bill. Closes at 11.59pm on 2 July.
Comments
I strongly oppose the Bill. It is unnecessary, unworkable and will cause significant harm. There is no problem needing to be solved that is addressed by the Bill. In making this submission I am especially thinking about the trans young people I know who face many challenges. I want them to live in a country that is tolerant and respectful of human rights and allows people to chose how they wish to identify. The Bill is based on divisive, imported culture wars ideology that should have no place in Aotearoa.
I wish to highlight just a few of the many reasons to oppose this harmful Bill.
The Bill will legitimise discrimination against already marginalised groups of people, and provide a platform for anti-trans extremism to grow. It overrides twenty years of legal recognition for trans, intersex, takatāpui and non-binary New Zealanders.
The promoters of the Bill claim that it is needed to “protect women” without any evidence of harm caused to women. The Bill does nothing to address the actual issues faced by women such as gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, economic inequality, and unequal caring responsibilities. Instead, attention is being directed away from policies that would materially improve women’s lives and towards a debate that primarily affects a small and already vulnerable minority. There is plenty of evidence to show transgender people disproportionately experience discrimination, exclusion and violence.
This Bill concerns everyone not just the LGBTQ+ community. It literally erases nonbinary people. A state that erases one group by definition can erase any group.
Furthermore I oppose this Bill because there is just no reason for it. It is dumb, hateful, negative politics. All it will do is cause confusion about how the law applies, provoke meaningless attacks on an already marginalised population and encourage bathroom “police” to attack people who don’t conform to gender stereotypes.
Recommendation
The Bill is a regressive step that risks increasing discrimination, creating legal uncertainty and division, and does nothing to address actual issues. I strongly recommend that the Bill be rejected in its entirety and not proceed.
Resources from various groups
Human Rights Commission submission
Action Station submission guide
Qtopia submission guide