Green leaders in attendance at Pride Cymru as Welsh Green Pride launch non-binary recognition campaign.
Wales Green Party leader Alice Hooker-Stroud and deputy leader Hannah Pudner were joined by fellow deputy leaders, Amelia Womack and Shahrar Ali, at Pride Cymru in Cardiff over the weekend.
Welsh Green Pride have launched a petition urging the government to follow in the lead of tech giants Google and Facebook to acknowledge that many people do not identify as male or female.
The spokesperson for Welsh Green Pride, Andrew Creak, said: “First and foremost, a binary understanding of gender is outdated. It is something science has long gone past. It is also immoral. Considering that over 40% of non-binary people have attempted suicide at some point, a third have experienced physical assault, and that a sixth have experienced a sexual assault, this is an incredibly important issue. People who identify for example as gender fluid or bigender deserve to be recognised by the UK government and law. Being accepted and having legal recognition has an enormous impact on an individual’s mental health.”
Creak, who identifies as gender fluid, added: “Although legal documents in the United Kingdom currently only recognise two binary genders – ‘female’ and ‘male’ – over a quarter of trans people in the UK identify outside this gender binary. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have taken actions to ensure these people aren’t excluded from legal processes. These countries have also taken practical measures that demonstrate inclusivity, such as adding an extra option on passports: a simple ‘X’ for unspecified gender. There is no question why the UK could not do the same.”
The petition is online at www.pride.greenparty.wales/non-binary_exists
