Action Day October 17^th 2009 – STP 2012 Campaign

On Saturday, October 17^th 2009, demonstrations and other actions was taken place in 38 cities in Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia, to support the campaign Stop Trans Pathologization STP 2012, which was initiated by the International Trans Depathologization Network. To date, 181 groups from 40 countries in different world regions and 7 international networks declared their support of the campaign.

The principal demand of the campaign is the removal of Gender Identity Disorders from the international diagnostic catalogues (DSM-IV y ICD-10). We consider that the classification of transsexuality as mental disorder fosters the risk of transphobia and social exclusion of trans persons all over the world. The necessity of compulsory diagnosis, hormonal and surgical modifications which is present in many of the existent laws, attacks the human rights regarding body integrity and free expression of gender identities, rights which are named in recent international declarations like the Yogyakarta Principles (2007) or the recommendations of the Commissioner of Human Rights of the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg (2009). In this sense, we consider the depathologization of transsexuality as a first indispensable step for a full recognition of trans persons’ human rights.

At the same time, the International Trans Depathologization Network is aware of the importance of guaranteeing trans persons health rights. Therefore, within its objectives the demand of free access to hormonal and surgical interventions without the necessity of psychiatric authorization for those persons, who wish to use them as well as its coverage by Public Health Systems is included. To guarantee these health rights, the International Trans Depathologization Network supports a non-pathologizing mention in the ICD as long as this mention does not signify a reclassification of transsexuality as a mental, organic or neurological disease. The justification of trans persons’ health rights should not be based on a pathologizing definition of trans identities, but take into account the characteristics of a highly binary society in which the experience of transphobia and social pressure can lead to the need of corporal modification. We question the current binary gender order in the actual society, in which a man with scars continues to be more accepted than a man with breasts.

In this sense, we demand medical treatment as a free option for trans people, without the need of compulsory psychiatric diagnosis, hormonal or surgical interventions in order to realize a change in the name or sex register.

Like the years before, this year on Octubre 17^th 2009 we demonstrated for the depathologization of transsexuality, making a call to all governments, international bodies and the general society to support the demand of the removal of the Gender Identity Disorders of the DSM-IV or ICD-10.

We also would like to thank all the groups, networks and individual persons which are supporting the STP 2012 campaign.

Stop Trans Pathologization!

International Trans Depathologization Network www.stp2012.wordpress.com.

Sexuality is an integral part of the personality of every human being.  Its full development depends upon the satisfaction of basic human needs such as the desire for contact, intimacy, emotional expression, pleasure, tenderness and love.
Sexuality is constructed through the interaction between the individual and social structures. Full development of sexuality is essential for individual, interpersonal, and societal well being.  
Sexual rights are universal human rights based on the inherent freedom, dignity, and equality of all human beings.  Since health is a fundamental human right, so must sexual health be a basic human right.  In order to assure that human beings and societies develop healthy sexuality, the following sexual rights must be recognized, promoted, respected, and defended by all societies through all means.  Sexual health is the result of an environment that recognizes, respects and exercises these sexual rights.

1.-The right to sexual freedom.  Sexual freedom encompasses the possibility for individuals to express their full sexual potential.  However, this excludes all forms of sexual coercion, exploitation and abuse at any time and situations in life. 

2.- The right to sexual autonomy, sexual integrity, and safety of the sexual body.  This right involves the ability to make autonomous decisions about one’s sexual life within a context of one’s own personal and social ethics. It also encompasses control and enjoyment of our own bodies free from torture, mutilation and violence of any sort.

3.- The right to sexual privacy.   This involves the right for individual decisions and behaviors about intimacy as long as they do not intrude on the sexual rights of others.

4.- The right to sexual equity. This refers to freedom from all forms of discrimination regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, race, social class, religion, or physical and emotional disability.

5.- The right to sexual pleasure.  Sexual pleasure, including autoeroticism, is a source of physical, psychological, intellectual and spiritual well being.   

6.- The right to emotional sexual expression.   Sexual expression is more than erotic pleasure or sexual acts.  Individuals have a right to express their sexuality through communication, touch, emotional expression and love.

7.- The right to sexually associate freely.  This means the possibility to marry or not, to divorce, and to establish other types of responsible sexual associations.

8.- The right to make free and responsible reproductive choices.  This encompasses the right to decide whether or not to have children, the number and spacing of children, and the right to full access to the means of fertility regulation.

9.- The right to sexual information based upon scientific inquiry.   This right implies that sexual information should be generated through the process of unencumbered and yet scientifically ethical inquiry, and disseminated in appropriate ways at all societal levels.

10.- The right to comprehensive sexuality education.   This is a lifelong process from birth throughout the lifecycle and should involve all social institutions.

11.- The right to sexual health care.  Sexual health care should be available for prevention and treatment of all sexual concerns, problems and disorders.

Sexual Rights are Fundamental and Universal Human Rights

Declaration of the 13th World Congress of Sexology, 1997, Valencia, España. Revised and approved by the General Assembly of the World Association for Sexology (WAS) on August 26th, 1999, during the 14th World Congress of Sexology, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China.

INFORMACIÓN Y CONTACTO
Instituto de psicologia y sexologia Espill
www.espill.org