Premium Content:

Libby Mettam says Liberals yet to reach position on abolishing gender board

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has revealed that her party is yet to reach a position on whether they will support proposed legislation to remove the WA Gender Reassignment Board.

Western Australia is the only state to retain the antiquated process that forces transgender people to prove they have undergone medical treatment and publicly lived as the gender they identify with, and there has been calls to remove the board for over a decade.

- Advertisement -

Speaking to The West Australian on Monday Mettam said the Liberals were yet to decide if they would support the move the remove the board.

The new legislation would remove the cumbersome board process, which many transgender people have described as a distressing experience, and instead replace it with a simple administrative process with the Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages.

“As a party we will consider that legislation and come to a position.” Mettam said, noting it was a completely separate issue to her party’s position on health care for transgender youth.

On Monday Mettam announced the Liberals policy against allowing transgender youth to access puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

Mettam announced a government she led would ban the treatment, and then conduct an investigation into the practices used my medical professionals to ascertain if they were causing harm to young people.

Calls to remove the Gender Reassignment Board have been made for over a decade.

In 2016 Premier Colin Barnett proposed that the operations of the board could be simplified and transferred to the State Administrative Tribunal.

The board itself has questioned its relevance and appropriateness on multiple occasions over the years. Curtis Ward, the current President of the Gender Reassignment Board, also supports calls for it to be removed.

Latest

Oslo Pride shooter will appeal conviction and 30-year jail sentence

Zaniar Matapour was convicted earlier this month of a long list of crimes including murder and terrorism offences.

On This Gay Day: The acronym AIDS is proposed in Washington

In 1982 experts gathered to work out a name for an illness they were struggling to define.

Janice Robinson creates stunning new version of 90’s hit ‘Dreamer’

Livin' Joy's euphoric tune is given a soulful makeover.

Newsletter

Don't miss

Oslo Pride shooter will appeal conviction and 30-year jail sentence

Zaniar Matapour was convicted earlier this month of a long list of crimes including murder and terrorism offences.

On This Gay Day: The acronym AIDS is proposed in Washington

In 1982 experts gathered to work out a name for an illness they were struggling to define.

Janice Robinson creates stunning new version of 90’s hit ‘Dreamer’

Livin' Joy's euphoric tune is given a soulful makeover.

Sapphic Disco is back at The Rechabite this weekend!

They're back! Sapphic Disco is pulling up for another round at The Rechabite this Saturday night.

Oslo Pride shooter will appeal conviction and 30-year jail sentence

Zaniar Matapour was convicted earlier this month of a long list of crimes including murder and terrorism offences.

On This Gay Day: The acronym AIDS is proposed in Washington

In 1982 experts gathered to work out a name for an illness they were struggling to define.