More progress to be made for transgender people, says lecturer

The issue of gender identity has gained traction in recent years, but more progress needs to be made towards acceptance, says transsexual woman and AUT University lecturer Lexie Matheson.

In April, a transgender person made the news after they were refused service from a worker in a Birkenhead barber shop, saying they were “not actually a man”.

In another incident, a transsexual woman claimed she was unfairly dismissed from her job as a hairdresser after she told her employer of her desire to transition. She told the New Zealand Herald in March this year, “I can't even put into words how much it hurts that they took [my career] away from me because of who I am".

Ms Matheson’s biggest concern when she transitioned at 55 in 1998 was her workplace, the University of Auckland’s Maidment Theatre, which was accepting of her difficult decision.

“It was this amazing freedom. This amazing release. All sorts of things changed that I wasn’t expecting to change [. . .] All sorts of things that had been problems for years literally just went away,” said Ms Matheson.

However, the issue of safety continues to be a challenge for Ms Matheson.

“I’ve been very cautious about where I go, in terms of safety. That hasn’t changed over the years.”

In a story reported by Te Waha Nui in April, the absence of unisex bathrooms in popular K' Road establishments is a cause for concern for many looking for a night out on one of Auckland’s most LGBT-friendly streets.

In places such as bathrooms, where people are expected to appear as a certain gender, the fear of discrimination can cause unwanted anxiety and distress.

“It’s still a struggle,” said Ms Matheson. “But it’s far better than it was . . . we’re fortunate now that transsexuality and transgenderism is far more accepted than it was when I was growing up.”

However, she said that while things have improved in recent years, it is hard to consider the difficulties of coming out as transgender, especially for a young person struggling to cope under their parents’ roof.

“If you’re gay and you come out to your parents, you go up to bed afterwards and you come down in the morning and you look the same, but if you’re transgender, you go up to bed, you come down, you don’t look the same.

“You dress differently, you behave differently, suddenly all the filters have gone.”

The general manager of Rainbow Youth, Duncan Matthews, said different factors contribute to transgender acceptance.

“Not everyone grows up with the word 'transgender' to describe what they’re feeling, or to understand why they don’t think their body matches how they feel.

“People can experience all sorts of discrimination when those two levels of acceptance [of yourself and by friends and family] don’t happen, so if you haven’t accepted yourself yet, people can react by becoming a bit depressed or self-harm.

“It’s not that there’s something wrong with them and their identity, they just haven’t been provided with the support they need to be happy and well.”

Where to go for help:
OUTLine - 0800 OUTLINE (6885463)
RainbowYOUTH - (09) 376 4155