Since the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act in September 2015, 149 gender recognition certificates have been issued of which four were to 16/17 year-olds. 99 birth certificates were issued from entries in the Gender Recognition Register

“This is great news because it shows that people are availing of the Act,” says Broden Giambrone (pictured), Director of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI). “I’ve spoken to many people about the process and they tell me that having their gender legally recognised is a huge relief and intensely validating.

“The passage of the Gender Recognition Act made Ireland a world leader in this area, but despite this legislation, we still have a long way to go to fully achieve trans rights. We know young trans people still have difficulty being accepted and respected in schools, we know trans people still have difficulty with employment and face high levels of discrimination in the workplace, we know trans people are not able to avail of the healthcare they need.

“We also know that trans people are often targeted for abuse and harassment on the streets and even in our homes. This needs to end.”

The Government is scheduled to review the Gender Recognition Act in 2017. In advance of the review TENI will launch a campaign advocating full rights and equality for the trans community.

“This is our opportunity to ensure that all members of our community are legally recognised,” says Giambrone. “TENI will be advocating for the meaningful inclusion of young trans, and for intersex and non-binary persons to be included. Our campaign will begin in the autumn and we hope all of the LGBT community will join and support us.”