Another conference is starting today in Barcelona, Spain that I would have loved to have been in attendance for.It's the International Conference on Gender Identity and Human Rights, and activists from across the planet will be gathering there starting today until June 6. Fittingly it will take place at the University of Barcelona's School of Law.
Thanks to the hard work spearheaded by Carla Antonelli, transpeople in Spain since 2007 have laws on their nation's legal books that allow them to change their identity documentation.
It's fitting that Carla is serving as the press secretary for this historic gathering of nearly 700 transactivists from around the world. Some have been there since June 1 as part of pre-conference event working groups putting together proposals that will be discussed and voted on during the main conference.
One of the stated goals of the conference will be to not only put together a document that will set out general principles of protection relating to human rights, but also lay out specific suggestions for governments to develop legislative solutions in relation to the rights of trans people.
The conference organizers hope that the final document will become a guiding roadmap for activists and advocacy organizations on the rights of trans people worldwide.The ultimate goal is to achieve global impact and recognition of the dignity of all transmen and transwomen and provide the means for this to be possible.
Good luck, have fun and may all of my trans brothers and sisters in attendance accomplish those goals and much more.
