“Avery” was at yesterday’s press conference and spoke behind a screen
The Rainbow of Macau association will meet with Identification Bureau (DSI) officials on February 24 to discuss the issue of changing gender on Macau’s identification documents.
Anthony Lam, director-general of Rainbow of Macau, said in a press conference yesterday that one individual, known as Avery, has finished gender reassignment surgery and wants to contact the Macau authorities in regard to changing the gender on her ID card. He said that Rainbow of Macau has contacted DSI and the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, in representing Avery.
“Both the Secretary and DSI have replied to ‘Rainbow’ and said that they will pay high attention to the issue. We have arranged a meeting to take place on February 24 to find a solution for Avery,” he said.
Mr Lam said that the group wants to progress Macau people’s understanding and education regarding gender, and he hopes that the Secretary and DSI can provide assistance to Avery.
He said that there was no precedent for such a case in Macau that could be referenced. He hopes that the case can progress with rational communication between all parties.
Jason Chao, a member of the association, said that there are clear instructions in Hong Kong and Portugal regarding the change of gender on ID cards. He pointed out that the United Nations has previously called on the Macau government to legislate for the protection of residents from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, which includes transgender identity. He believes that the government has the responsibility to protect its residents through legislation, and to allow the change of ID information so that individuals will not be discriminated against.
During the press conference, Avery shared with the media her experience in a local high school. She said that she had suffered from verbal abuse and violent treatment at the hands of her classmates and even teachers when she was studying in a local all-boys school. She has previously attempted suicide, and said that the abuse and bullying were major parts of the reason behind that decision.
Avery has recently come back to Macau from the United Kingdom, and found that it was not easy to live and find jobs in the region as a transgender.
In a response to the TDM, DSI said that the information on a Macau ID card has to be consistent with what is on a person’s birth certificate. If residents want to change the information on the ID card, they have to ask the Legal Affairs Bureau about doing so. DSI said that it has so far received three enquiries regarding cases similar to that of Avery.
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