PFLAG+ Perth, the Parents, Families and Friends of the LGBTQIA+ community are calling on the McGowan Government to take action on the outdated Gender Reassignment Board. 

The organisation highlighted that there had been media reports revealing the board had stopped considering applications because its long-standing President resigned back in September.  The situation was first revealed by Youth Jam Radio on the 5th of December, with a report appearing in OUTinPerth the following day.

The West Australian delivered a personal perspective on the hold-up when they shared the story of transgender woman Bree Wilkinson. Wilkinson only discovered the board had been put on hiatus after she called the Department of the Attorney General to ask about the progress of her application 10 weeks after she’d submitting the required paperwork.  

“PFLAG+ Perth, the Parents, Families and Friends of the LGBTQIA+ community stand firmly with TransFolk of WA, Rainbow Futures WA and our Trans and Gender Diverse loved ones. We stand with Bree who bravely shared her story publicly. We note that to date there has been no resolution to this matter.” said spokesperson Kate Salinger. 

“We have today forwarded a letter to the Premier Mark McGowan and the Attorney General John Quigley requesting an urgent meeting to outline our concerns and distress. Concerns and distress caused by, firstly, the continued existence of the obsolete and archaic mechanism that is the Gender Reassignment Board, especially given WA Labor’s 2017 commitment to abolish it. Secondly, that its current impotent existence is causing considerably more harm to our loved ones than it usually does.”

Salinger said she hoped people would write to the Attorney-General John Quigley and encourage him to take action.

“As families and friends, we were heartened by the out-pouring of support shown by thousands of Western Australian’s two years ago when a local city official misspoke regarding our Trans and Gender Diverse loved ones. We hope that you can join us again, in writing to the Premier and Attorney General to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion. Ideally, the abolition of this costly, redundant and harmful Board.”

Last week a spokesperson for the Attorney General told OUTinPerth that the process of appointing a new President to the Gender Reassignment Board was well advanced. In parliament Quigley recently gave an update on proposals to completely scrap the board saying it was being considered by cabinet.

OIP Staff

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

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