Tickets are going fast for gender identity panel discussion

Event
The WA Equal Opportunity Commission is hosting a panel discussion on gender identity discrimination in education at the State Library Lecture Theatre on International Youth Day, Friday 12 August.
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QR code and speakers for International Youth Day event

Panelists include Director of the Department of Adolescent Medicine at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne and the RCH Gender Service Associate Professor Michelle Telfer, former Headmaster of Prince Alfred College Adelaide Bradley Fenner, Principal of MLC girls' school Dr Marie Perry and gender diverse young people Allie Messenger and Zavier Wileman.

The discussion will be facilitated by Pride in Diversity Relationship Manager for WA Alyce Schotte.

WA Equal Opportunity Commissioner Dr John Byrne said it was an important event as gender diverse young people were currently not well covered by the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 if they wished to lodge a complaint about discrimination because of their gender status.

"Gender diverse young people are one of the most vulnerable groups in Western Australia when it comes to unlawful discrimination because there is no gender identity ground.

"The Act's outdated gender history ground, which requires the complainant to have a Gender Recognition Certificate, is often something young transitioning people and gender fluid young people cannot comply with," Dr Byrne said.

He said it was therefore very important to have thorough community education in this area, especially for schools and other education institutions.

"We encourage teachers, parents, carers, education staff and any member of a school community to participate in the discussion by registering their attendance and coming along to the event," he said.