"Why?" you may ask. The answer is simple. I am frustrated by the lack of response from you, the readers. I would welcome letters of opinion, articles, life stories, creative writing, but I receive almost nothing. Maybe these questions will arouse your passions and provide me, and the rest of the community, with your opinions. The answers I have provided for Katrina's questions are my opinions, without reference to Polare's editorial policy and they are not necessarily Gender Centre policy. Have your say!

Katrina: How much, if at all, do you think the gay and lesbian community should work with the trans / sex and gender diverse community?

Kate: I think every community should be prepared to work with and for every other community, to create equal rights, rectify perceived faults in social policy and help those who are disadvantaged either as individuals or as members of a social sub-group within the larger society.

We help those who are disadvantaged physically and mentally and there is no reason not to extend the principle to those who are disadvantaged socially, legally or with regard to health services. Being prepared to help another group is not a declaration of identity or even congruence, merely a declaration of general principles of social morality.

Katrina: What issues, if any, do you believe we share?

Kate: The obvious ones, touched on in answer to the first question ... there are injustices, divisions, and entrenched inequalities in our social fabric which need to be addressed. The gay and lesbian community (which clearly overlaps with the trans community since a trans person can be gay, lesbian, hetero, bi- or a-sexual) shares some problems of marginalisation and even victimisation, based on past history of homophobia, religious bigotry and the need to find a sub-community "lower" in the pecking order than one's own. The fact that many people see the trans-phenomenon as a sub-group of the gay world suggests a commonality of interest for that reason alone. First, eliminate the homophobia, then make the distinctions clearer through education.

Katrina: In your experience / opinion, how welcoming are gay guys to trans men?

Kate: I am not equipped to answer this question as I have not associated socially to any extent with either gay men nor trans men. I am eclectic in choosing my friends and seldom categorise them, nor examine the interactions of such categories. But I have enjoyed the friendship of many gay men and still do.

Katrina: In your experience / opinion, how welcoming is the lesbian community to trans women?

Kate: I have many close friends who are lesbian and I have never been rejected socially by any lesbian nor lesbian group. I know of cases where lesbian groups or functions have excluded trans women but, on the other hand, at two of the universities where I have worked I have been approached to help the Women's Room make their facilities accessible to trans women. Although I consider myself a lesbian I do not function "in the lesbian community" since, as mentioned before, I am eclectic in my choice of friends and have never been a "party" person.

Katrina: Some gay and lesbian campaign organisations have added the "T" to their name to reflect the policies that are inclusive - do you think organisations such as the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby should do this? Why / why not?

Kate: The greatest advantage for the trans community is that by associating themselves with a much larger and more powerful lobby group they can probably make more progress than if they were to dissociate themselves from the gay and lesbian, and bisexual communities. Despite the possible overlap of trans people and any of the Gay, Lesbian, or Bi communities there are also significant differences and these should not be ignored (the need for altered documentation and medical intervention for Trans and Intersex spring to mind). As long as the interests of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual overlap or are congruent with those of Trans and Intersex there are clear advantages in working together. In areas of difference we should be prepared to work in our own interest and take the lead in these areas, even if we welcome support from the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual groups (and any other community we can recruit to rectify social wrongs).

Katrina: In the U.S. the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (E.N.D.A.) was passed in October last year. It caused some controversy because it included sexual orientation, i.e. employers are not allowed to discriminate against someone because of their sexuality, but E.N.D.A. does not cover sex / gender identity, meaning that trans and other sex and gender diverse people can be discriminated against. A similar thing appears to be occurring with the H.R.E.O.C. report, which focuses on "same-sex" relationships and leaves trans and other sex / gender diverse people out in the cold. What's your response to this? (See note at end of this article)

Kate: I have mixed feelings. In an ideal world we would refuse to take any amelioration of social conditions unless all wrongs were simultaneously amended. In the real world you sometimes have to compromise and move step by step. We have seen this in action in the progress of the Gender Recognition Bill in Britain, which had (and still has) significant flaws in the detail but is a great deal better (for most, not all) than Britain offered its trans people before the G.R.B. was passed. Since then some regulations under the Gender Recognition Act have been passed which have diluted some of the gains but some changes have also been made which have simplified and improved matters for trans people in Britain. We must sometimes compromise, but having compromised we should then return to the arena and make further improvements to the system. If Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual gain new rights while Trans and Intersex are left behind, this in itself provides an argument for raising the standard to eliminate unfair discrimination. As we used to say in school "Festina lente" ... (hasten slowly), or in the words of that great street-chant:

"What do we want?"
"Incremental change!"
"When do we want it?"
"In due course!"

Katrina: In the U.S. many gay and lesbian groups came out and publicly supported and called for the inclusion of gender identity in E.N.D.A., but gay and lesbian groups in Australia don't appear to have done that re H.R.E.O.C. What's your response to this?

Kate: I am not a "group" person and will not be responsible for setting the standards of others, preferring to march to my own drum in the hope that others will agree with my views and join my parade. If these "gay and lesbian groups" were to support the right to gender identity and promote the cause of gender diversity, of course I would applaud their efforts, but conscience cannot be legislated and it is our responsibility to persuade the uncommitted by reason and by example, not by moral bullying or the assumption that we are the only ones who can decide what is, or is not, a moral obligation for others. So, rather than stifling the opinions of others, or insisting that they adopt our views and opinions, we should be laying out reasoned arguments for the improvement of social policy, and providing educational resources for the whole community to consider, not merely our existing allies and groups with congruent problems and beliefs.

Katrina: There can sometimes be a sense of "us" and "them" with the gay / lesbian and trans community - and this can be perpetuated by both sides. Why do you think this is and what are your suggestions / opinions on how to resolve this?

Kate: I think there will always be schisms and variations in any movement. In the Lesbian world there is a spectrum with many welcoming trans people while at the other end of the spectrum there are separatist feminists who are violently opposed to trans people (or at least trans women ... I haven't heard the views of Greer or Raymond on trans men). But this is not remarkable. People who are passionate about a cause are seldom accepting or considerate of others' views and beliefs. This is also true within the trans community and the bitter arguments which sometimes eventuate over the need for surgery in order to be "real", the confused use of the terms "transgender" and "transsexual", the separatism of some F.T.M. from M.T.F. and vice versa, and the separatism of some of the Intersexed community from anyone who cannot identify a medical reason for his / her condition are all symptomatic of the fact that there are many theories but few verifiable facts and we are still feeling our way in a social community which has only been clearly visible since 1952 with the outing of Christine Jorgensen. There were trans people before Christine, of course, (Lili Elbe, Ewan Forbes-Sempill and Roberta Cowell spring to mind) but their impact on the world was minimal compared to the Jorgensen thunderbolt at the end of 1952.

Katrina: Any other comments?

Kate: Katrina, that is such a dangerous thing to ask! Given enough world and time I would go on rambling till the wet concrete arrives and maybe even after ...

Note: These questions were asked and answered in March 2008. H.R.E.O.C. has now moved forward and is conducting a study of the current position and future needs of the transgendered and the gender diverse. Written submissions have been sought from transgender and gender diverse individuals and public hearings are soon to be held in major cities.

Polare is published in Australia by The Gender Centre Inc. which is funded by the Department of Community Services under the S.A.A.P. Program and supported by the N.S.W. Health Department through the AIDS and Infectious Diseases Branch. Polare provides a forum for discussion and debate on gender issues. Advertisers are advised that all advertising is their responsibility under the Trade Practices Act. Unsolicited contributions are welcome, though no guarantee is made by the Editor that they will be published, nor any discussion entered into. The editor reserves the right to edit such contributions without notification. Any submission which appears in Polare may be published on our internet site. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, The Gender Centre Inc.I, the Department of Community Services or the N.S.W. Department of Health.