National ID Card Petition

[Helen G]

hi again

Just wanted to thank Robyn for stopping by and commenting on the thread over at Questioning Transphobia - http://questioningtransphobia.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/national-id-card-petition/ - I think it's been a really useful discussion and I've definitely been learning from it.

Helen

[Robyn]

Hi Helen,

Just wanted to thank Robyn for stopping by and commenting on the thread over at Questioning Transphobia

No problem.

Just wanted to make sure that people are getting the right facts from as early a start as possible.

The more that people realise how much the proposed guidelines can affect them, the more likely they are to take action. My only wish is that more people will realise the potential impact that this could have.

There are around 7,000 Transsexual people in this country, perhaps a lot more. I do not know of any official statistics for Intersex persons or those who live outside the gender binary.

Add to these figures the SOFFAs and we could easily have more than 50,000 people, perhaps even 100,000. If everyone joined us, then we would have a real fighting chance of making a massive impact on this campaign alone.

As much as I am for encouraging people to join the campaign though, it is not appropriate to force anyone to join in. This has to be voluntary.

I am aware that many people will resent joining forces with others because not everyone prescribes to identifying in the same manner as themselves. I strongly believe that there are occasions, such as this, where people should attempt to bury the hatchet and work together.

Hopefully people will see that Gender Spectrum UK is a suitable place to do this safely.

Yours,
Robyn

[Pollik]

Add to these figures the SOFFAs and we could easily have more than 50,000 people, perhaps even 100,000. If everyone joined us, then we would have a real fighting chance of making a massive impact on this campaign alone.

If everyone joined us, I am going to need a bit of help doing the admin and modding!!!!


Polly

[Mercia]

There are around 7,000 Transsexual people in this country, perhaps a lot more.

***Warning hobby horse coming round the bend, neck and neck with the bee in the bonnet.***

The 7000 figure is for transistioners, being transsexual is not about what you do in relation to the outside world, but about how you feel inside. I did not become transsexual at 42, I was transsexual since at least 4. A pre-transitioning transsexual is not a transvestite (whatever the current government might think), they are a transsexual who has their reasons for not transistioning. So the transsexual number is, like the transvestite number, impossible to quantify.

Mercia

[Robyn]

Hello Polly & Mercia,

The figures were mentioned only in a bold attempt to show the potential numbers out there.

I am very aware that many are hotly disputed and please accept my apologies as I did not intend to get into a hot discussion over their validity.

The important thing is that we are made up from various minority groups. Polly is already in the process of getting some figures together, but in truth we do not have anything concrete at this stage.

The petition is still growing and this is great news. It isn't growing as fast as some have in the past when relating to Trans Issues, but we are a very new and small group. Most people have never heard of us and most of those that have heard of us, have only done so through this campaign.

We have done very well so far and we need to work together to get more people working with us. We passed the 300 mark today. Compared to other petitions that were started in the last week, this is excellent when you take into account the numbers involved.

Yours,
Robyn

[Pollik]

Polly is already in the process of getting some figures together,

If you mean contacting DVLA and Passport Office and...er...

It is on my todo list, but not really in process yet.

[emma]

There are around 7,000 Transsexual people in this country, perhaps a lot more.

The 7000 figure is for transistioners, being transsexual is not about what you do in relation to the outside world, but about how you feel inside. I did not become transsexual at 42, I was transsexual since at least 4. A pre-transitioning transsexual is not a transvestite (whatever the current government might think), they are a transsexual who has their reasons for not transistioning. So the transsexual number is, like the transvestite number, impossible to quantify.

Mercia

Totally agreed, Mercia.
It is important to be VERY careful with gender figures.
I would challenge anyone (ANYONE, specifically anyone in government) giving numbers of "men" and "women" (and hence "transsexual") to a biological, scientific definition of the terms "man" and "woman" (which are, or course, not defined in that way...) before defining anyone as a "transsexual " (or "intersex"). (I thought many people transition to try to get away from the label "transsexual" ).
In my books, a "man" is someone with the intimate conviction of being a man, a woman someone with the intimate conviction of being a "woman", and someone without these convictions is quite simply themself - nothing more - or less.

(End of rant - sorry if I upset or disturbed anyone)

Please be careful with numbers concerning gender groups - they are like psychiatrists - basing assumptions on personal ideas - no science..

Emma

[Robyn]

Hello everyone,

It is not too late for you to contact your MP to get them on board this campaign.

If you do not know their contact details, here is a useful place for you to find them:

http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

Remember that they are only meant to deal with people in their constituency, so please don't contact them all.

Yours,
Robyn

[Robyn]

Hi everyone,

Please do remember to send in those letters and sign the petition.

http://www.alisonwhelan.co.uk/id_cards.htm

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/TransID

WE DO want your support.

There are a lot of people convinced that ID Cards will be withdrawn at the next election. If this happens, then great, this campaign will have been a waste of time.

However, if the ID Cards do get forced on us all, then please help us now by ensuring that we can get everyone the best possible deal.

Else where I wrote this morning that we now had over 300 Signatures on the petition.

We had a flurry of activity this afternoon. There has been some activity this evening as well and this has helped us reach a new landmark figure.

We now have 400 signatures!

This is great news folks. A Big Thank you to everyone who has signed so far from everyone involved with this.

If we can reach 500 by Friday, this will be wonderful. If we can get to 1000 or more by the closing date of 6th March 2009, then I will be very happy.

Remember too that the closing date for sending in those letters is this Friday. Not next Monday. So please do read through them, and your name and address and send them in to Robin Woodland, whose name and address appears on the letter.

Thank you,
Robyn

[Pollik]

Done both.

Also a different version to my MP. He is having Facebook problems - it seemed a good opening to look at security issues of a database for ID cards, and from there to look at the trans issues.

From what I have seen and heard, his track record on LGBT is disappointing, however.