• Requestsforinformation(whentheinformationaboutapersonwillbeusedtodisadvantagethatperson);or

• Unlawfuladvertising(advertisinganintentiontodiscriminate).

Forexample,‘genderidentity’discriminationmayinvolvenotinterviewingsomeoneforajob,forcingapersonwhoidentifiesasawomantousemaledesignatedtoilets,refusingapersonserviceinarestaurantbecauseofthewaytheylook,orimposingspecialconditionsthatdonotapplytoothers.

Example – discrimination in the provision of goods, services or facilitiesApril, a transgender woman, was shopping for clothes in a boutique. She was told by the shop assistant that she was not allowed to use the change rooms to try on the clothes because it was a “women’s only space” and that she would just have to buy them without checking that they fit. She was also told the shop would be unlikely to accept a return in the event that the clothes didn’t fit as “they would be used”.

When is discrimination allowed?Itisnotunlawfultotakespecialmeasurestohelpgroupsorindividualswhoaredisadvantagedorhavebeenunfairlytreatedandneedsupporttofullyenjoytheirhumanrights.

Forexample,somedisadvantagedgroupssufferfromgreatersocialandeconomicdisadvantagethanothergroupsinsocietyandmaythereforerequirespecialassistancetoenjoytheirrightstothesamelevelthatotherAustraliansenjoythoserights.

Aservicecreatedtoprovidefreelegaladviceonlytotransandintersexpeoplewouldbeanexampleofaspecialmeasurewhichisnotunlawfuldiscrimination.

Thelawalsocontainsspecificexceptionsmakingitlawfultodiscriminateinsomecircumstances.ExampleswherediscriminationonthegroundsofgenderidentityisnotunlawfulintheACTinclude:

• CarryingoutanactthatisnecessarytocomplywithaTerritorylaworcourtorder;

• Theavailabilityofmembershiportheservicesofavoluntaryassociation;or

• Appointingmembersofreligiousorders,suchaspriestsorministers.

Thereisalsoanexceptionfordiscriminationonthegroundsofsexincompetitivesportingactivitywherethestrength,staminaorphysiqueofcompetitorsisrelevant.

What is vilification?Itisalsoagainstthelawtovilifyapersonorgroupofpeopleonthegroundsof‘genderidentity’.

Vilificationmeanstopubliclyincitehatredtowardsapersonorgroupofpeoplewhichislikelytooffend,insult,humiliateorintimidatethatpersonorgroupofpeople.Someexamplesmightinclude:

• Distributingpamphletstothepublicridiculingaperson’s‘genderidentity’;

• Wearingclothingwithmessagesthatdenigratesaperson’s‘genderidentity’;or

• Insultingorincitinghatredagainstpeoplebecauseoftheir‘genderidentity’byaspeechatapublicrally.

• Vilificationonlyextendstoactsdone‘inpublic’anddoesnotincludeacts‘donereasonablyingoodfaith’.

Gender Identity Discrimination What does ‘gender identity’ mean in the Act?TheDiscrimination Act 1991defines‘genderidentity’inaparticularway,whichrefersto:

‘theidentification,onagenuinebasis

• byapersonofonebiologicalsexasamemberoftheothersex;or

• byapersonofindeterminatebiologicalsexasapersonofaparticularsex’

Thisidentificationmaybebyassumingcharacteristicsofthatsex(includingstyleofdressingorothercharacteristics),orbyliving,orseekingtoliveasamemberofthatsex.Thedefinitionappliestointersexpeoplewhoidentifyasaparticularsex,aswellastranspeople.Itdoesnotrequirethatapersonhasundertakenanymedicallyassistedtransition.

What does discrimination mean?UnderACTlaw,discriminationmeanstreatingsomeoneunfavourablybecauseofapersonalcharacteristicthatisprotectedintheDiscriminationAct.‘Genderidentity’isoneofthepersonalcharacteristicsprotectedintheAct.

Itisagainstthelawtodiscriminateagainstapersonbecauseoftheir‘genderidentity’inmanyareasofpubliclife,including:

• Recruitmentandemployment(includingACTpublicandprivatesector,paidandunpaidwork);

• Accesstopremises(includingpublicbuildings,parks,buses,taxisandaircraft);

• Accommodation(includingpublichousing,andprivate,businessorresidentialrental);

• Education;

• Provisionofgoods,servicesorfacilities;

Australian Capital Territory

Gender IdentityDiscrimination

Information for trans, intersex and gender diverse people on discrimination and your rights

Example - vilification, discrimination in the provision of goods and servicesDylan is a student at a Canberra high school who was born with ambiguous sexual characteristics, but identifies as male. Students in Dylan’s class have been teasing and bullying him about his intersex status, and have written obscene comments about him on social networking sites and in the school toilets. Although Dylan reported this abuse to his teachers the school has failed to act to stop this conduct or to remove the graffiti.The school has not provided any information or education to students or staff to help them to better understand intersex and gender diverse people.

VictimisationItisunlawfultovictimiseapersonformakingorsupportingadiscriminationcomplaint,orforreasonablyassertingtheirrightsundertheDiscriminationAct.Victimisationmeanssubjectingapersontoanydetriment,andcouldincludeawiderangeofbehavioursuchasverbalharassment,lossofjobopportunitiesorrefusalofservice.

What does the ACT Human Rights Commission do?Ifyouthinkyouhavebeendiscriminatedagainst,orifyouwouldjustliketofindoutmoreaboutyourrights,youcancontacttheHumanRightsCommissionforfurtherinformation.

TheCommissionconsidersandconciliatescomplaintsofdiscrimination,harassmentandvilification.Weareimpartialinthisprocessandwedonottakesides.Wehelpthepartiestoreacharesolution,whichmayresultinabindingwrittenagreementaboutresolvingthecomplaint.

TheCommissionalsoinformsandeducatestheACTcommunity,includingemployers,employeesandserviceproviders,abouttheirrightsandresponsibilitiesunderdiscriminationlaw.Wecanprovideyouwithinformationabouthowtomakeacomplaint,andwhereelseyoumaybeabletogoforhelp.

Contact InformationHuman Rights Commission

Level4,12MooreStreetCanberraGPOBox158CanberraACT2601

Telephone 62052222Fax 62071034TTY 62051666Email human.rights@act.gov.auInternet www.hrc.act.gov.au

Updated2012

ArtworkbyCamMichael2011.