frank
11-01-2009, 08:00 AM
A TRANSSEXUAL has won a written apology from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the distress she experienced as a result of having to travel on a passport that identified her as a man.
Stefanie Imbruglia, 42 - a first cousin of the pop star Natalie Imbruglia - has also secured the department's agreement to other measures that amount to fairer treatment of transsexuals who apply for passports.
Ms Imbruglia had lived for two years as a woman before applying for a passport to travel to Thailand for sex realignment surgery in October 2007. She wanted her passport to identify her as a female. But the Howard government rescinded an established practice of issuing transsexuals who were to travel abroad for surgery a one-year limited passport in their nominated gender.
Forced to travel on a passport that identified her as a male, Ms Imbruglia said she was subjected to ridicule by an Australian passport officer who insisted on calling her ''sir'' even though she was wearing a skirt and jacket.
When she arrived at Bangkok airport, a passport control officer asked her to account for the discrepancy between her appearance and the gender on her passport.
''At the top of his voice in front of a hall full of people he looked at me and looked at my passport and said, 'Male or female?' Everyone turned around. It was scary.''
Ms Imbruglia said it was dangerous for transsexual women to have to travel abroad on male passports as they could be subjected to intimidation, violence, and arrest. The one-year passports were instituted, she said, after an Australian transsexual, forced to travel on a passport that identified her as male, was arrested in Singapore.
''My greatest fear was being detained in a male prison,'' she said. ''The danger the government put me in was huge.''
On return to Australia after successful surgery, Ms Imbruglia lodged complaints against the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with the Australian Human Rights Commission. She claimed the department had breached her civil and political rights by knowingly placing her in danger, and was guilty of sex discrimination. By this time, Labor was in power in Canberra.
After conciliation, the department wrote to her saying it apologised ''for any discomfort, distress or embarrassment as a result of your dealings with the Sydney Passport Office … Steps have been taken to ensure that this sort of incident does not occur again.''
Ms Imbruglia said the department had agreed to restore the right of transsexuals travelling abroad for gender surgery to a passport in the appropriate gender. It has also agreed some people of diverse or indeterminate gender identity who may not be suitable for genital surgery should be able to get a suitable passport. Ms Imbruglia said she was delighted that common sense had prevailed.
Stefanie Imbruglia, 42 - a first cousin of the pop star Natalie Imbruglia - has also secured the department's agreement to other measures that amount to fairer treatment of transsexuals who apply for passports.
Ms Imbruglia had lived for two years as a woman before applying for a passport to travel to Thailand for sex realignment surgery in October 2007. She wanted her passport to identify her as a female. But the Howard government rescinded an established practice of issuing transsexuals who were to travel abroad for surgery a one-year limited passport in their nominated gender.
Forced to travel on a passport that identified her as a male, Ms Imbruglia said she was subjected to ridicule by an Australian passport officer who insisted on calling her ''sir'' even though she was wearing a skirt and jacket.
When she arrived at Bangkok airport, a passport control officer asked her to account for the discrepancy between her appearance and the gender on her passport.
''At the top of his voice in front of a hall full of people he looked at me and looked at my passport and said, 'Male or female?' Everyone turned around. It was scary.''
Ms Imbruglia said it was dangerous for transsexual women to have to travel abroad on male passports as they could be subjected to intimidation, violence, and arrest. The one-year passports were instituted, she said, after an Australian transsexual, forced to travel on a passport that identified her as male, was arrested in Singapore.
''My greatest fear was being detained in a male prison,'' she said. ''The danger the government put me in was huge.''
On return to Australia after successful surgery, Ms Imbruglia lodged complaints against the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with the Australian Human Rights Commission. She claimed the department had breached her civil and political rights by knowingly placing her in danger, and was guilty of sex discrimination. By this time, Labor was in power in Canberra.
After conciliation, the department wrote to her saying it apologised ''for any discomfort, distress or embarrassment as a result of your dealings with the Sydney Passport Office … Steps have been taken to ensure that this sort of incident does not occur again.''
Ms Imbruglia said the department had agreed to restore the right of transsexuals travelling abroad for gender surgery to a passport in the appropriate gender. It has also agreed some people of diverse or indeterminate gender identity who may not be suitable for genital surgery should be able to get a suitable passport. Ms Imbruglia said she was delighted that common sense had prevailed.