20 Nov Calls to remove transsexualism from WHO disorders list
In the lead up to Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20), thousands have signed a petition to have transsexualism removed from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) mental disorders list.
The petition, launched by Gold Coast transsexual Michelle Diamond, comes while WHO is currently reviewing its “International Classification of Diseases” for its 11th edition.
“I’m not sick, I’m transsexual,” Diamond said.
“Growing up was incredibly difficult; being told something was wrong with me, and that I was sick, was really damaging. The World Health Organisation is a UN agency, which makes its discrimination particularly hard to bear.
“People forget that according to WHO, homosexuality was also a mental disorder as recently as 1990. No one would say that now.”
The Australian campaign has received over 6,000 signatures and joins more than 64,000 signatures included in the international campaign to no longer have transsexualism listed as a mental disorder.
The global movement was started by Canadian Miss Universe contestant and transsexual Jenna Talackova and has since seen seven different countries petition for change.
The petition comes as local mental health experts highlight a spike in the number of transgender people coming out, prompting concerns of a mental health crisis.
You can sign the petition here: http://www.change.org/petitions/world-health-organisation-stop-classing-transsexualism-as-a-mental-illness#share