On May 29th, the Speaker of Parliament communicated publicly that President Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law in Uganda. This new law imposes harsher penalties for consensual same-sex relationships and creates additional crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
The law criminalizes any advocacy in support of LGBTQ+ individuals under the offense of “promoting homosexuality.” Disturbingly, it also includes a provision that permits the death penalty for cases of “aggravated homosexuality,” perpetuating stigma against people living with HIV and undermining the progress made in Uganda’s HIV/AIDS response.
We strongly condemn this law as it violates the principle of equality stated in Uganda’s Constitution. Activists are preparing to challenge the law’s constitutionality in court, highlighting the inherent human rights violations it entails.
It is disheartening to note that even prior to its passing, the proposal of this bill has resulted in targeted persecution of the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda. In order to prioritize the safety of our grantee partners, we took the critical decision to temporarily take down our social media and website, and have remained offline for the past two months. This action was taken in response to the escalating risks faced by our partners in Uganda.
While this decision has temporarily limited our ability to communicate and engage through these channels, we firmly believe it was the necessary step to safeguard the individuals and communities we work with. After doing a risk assessment, including speaking to those impacted, and scrubbing our website, we have come back online to join the chorus of voices speaking out against the law.
We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda and will continue to advocate for the protection of their rights, safety, and well-being. We urge everyone to join us in condemning this law and supporting legal efforts to overturn it.
Dear friends, we are pleased to introduce Karen Bennett, our new Interim Program Associate at the International Trans Fund. Karen is a talented and experienced artist and activist, with a wealth of knowledge and skills to bring to our organization.
Karen has a long and impressive career as a performer, composer, songwriter, arranger, producer, film scorer, guitarist, and singer. She has been active in the international trans advocacy community since 2010, and has previously worked as the Executive Assistant for Mauro Cabral at GATE. In 2017, Karen had the opportunity to interview Broden Giambrone and Mukasa as they announced the foundation of the ITF, and she has been working as a translator and interpreter for us ever since.
We are particularly excited to have Karen join our team, as she is the first trans musician in Latin America to write a score for a feature film. “El Puto Inolvidable” is a documentary about the late LGBTI activist who started the Pride Parades in Argentina, and Karen’s contributions are sure to make it an impactful and memorable film.
We are confident that Karen will be an invaluable asset to the ITF, and we look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish in her role as Interim Program Associate.
Dear trans communities, movements, activists, dear philanthropic partners, dear friends,
Several years ago we came together to form the International Trans Fund (ITF) to strengthen trans movements and gender-diverse communities so that our voices are heard and we can achieve the full recognition of our rights. The past year proved that, even when the daily oppressions and attacks against our siblings, trans women of color, sex workers, immigrants and many others, are paired with a global pandemic and a wave of disregard for our needs and livelihoods, trans groups and organizations are fighting for better lives with unbelievable grit, grace and devotion. We at the ITF are honored and humbled to be a part of this movement, and we strive to bolster and contribute to the hard work of frontline activists in the best way we can.
Our mission is to create lasting change to the realities of trans movements globally, and to do so, we must work for the social recognition of our identities and experiences in a complex, global setting, and an ever-changing one. Many of our trans siblings are deprived of liberty, many are not recognized by the hegemonic cultures violating their rights, many are facing oppressive prison and police states, racism, sexism, and socioeconomic injustice. We see clearly that the years of the pandemic impoverished our communities even further, pushing many people further into precarity, displacement, migration, and crisis.
As the ITF, we feel and worry about these harsh realities our communities live in. We want our work to help fund and strengthen these struggles and the dignity of our movements. We do this to the extent of our possibilities, trying to reach as many communities as feasible.
As the Board of the International Trans Fund, we feel deeply privileged to be able to offer our support and be part of this work, and we vow to keep rising to the challenge. Together we will guarantee a better world for the generations to come.
It is impossible to fully capture the strength, diversity and devotion of trans movements. As you flip through this Annual Report, you will see to a fuller extent the growth we were fortunate enough to experience as the ITF, and the impact fostered through our grantee partners.
Thanks to the support of our own funders, we are steadily growing our capacity, striving to issue more grants, to more groups, across more countries and communities, because the sorrow and hardships of trans communities are still too often overlooked and inadequately addressed.
This last year, the ITF awarded its 5th grant cycle. We organized support and webinars for hundreds of our grantee partners and applicants, advocated for more resources to be made available, and mobilized funds for trans movements. And this was just the overture. The ITF continues to become an effective and sustainable long-term mechanism of resourcing trans-led groups, and a recognized partner for philanthropic engagement.
Chaber & Alejandra Collette Spinetti Núñez – Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee in 2021
The ITF is pleased to announce our 7th grant cycle! We welcome applications from trans-led organizations with budgets below $100,000 USD based in any region of the world. The deadline to apply is December 12, 2022 at 5pm (ET/New York time).
The ITF has two grant types:
SEED Grant (1-year)
The SEED grant is a 1-year general support and/or project grant for trans-led organizations that have never been funded by the ITF, or that prefer to apply for this grant instead of the THRIVE Grant. Grants range from $10,000 to $25,000 USD/year.
THRIVE Grant (1-year)
The THRIVE grant is a 1-year general support grant ONLY for trans-led organizations that have been previously funded by the ITF and are in good standing. Grants range from $25,000 to $50,000 USD/year.
The application forms and guidelines can be downloaded from our website (here). The forms are available in English, French, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Spanish.
In addition, between October 31st and November 9th, we are hosting Draft Review Service webinars and Funding webinars. You can find the dates and registration links here.
The International Trans Fund (ITF) is seeking applications from committed activists to be members of its Grant Making Panel (GMP). The deadline for submitting your application is Monday October 10 th 2022. Applications can be submitted in either English or Spanish, the two official working languages of the ITF.
Background
Trans groups across the globe remain severely under-resourced and operate with limited or no budgets. The State of Trans Organizing, a survey of 455 trans organizations conducted in 2016 by AJWS (American Jewish World Service), GATE (Global Action for Trans Equality) and Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, found that two out of five trans groups had zero external funding and only 40% received foundation funding. 56% of trans organizations operated on a budget of less than USD$10,000 yearly and over three-quarters (78%) had
annual budgets of less than USD$50,000. To address this disparity, a group of international trans activists and donors came together to create the International Trans Fund (ITF). The ITF is a participatory grantmaking fund made up of trans activists and supporting donors. The ITF aims to increase the capacity of the trans movement to self-organize and advocate for trans people’s rights, self-determination, and
wellbeing.
The purpose of the fund is to:
● To develop and sustain a mechanism to support trans-led groups of different sizes working on a range of issues at the international, regional, country and local levels, with emphasis on smaller groups with limited resources.
● To educate our peers in the philanthropic community on trans issues and influence other funders and strategic allies in trans related commitments and strategies.
● To increase and enhance access to resources to support trans movements by increasing financial resources dedicated to trans-led
organizations and groups; providing access to non-financial resources for trans organizations, such as skills building, organizational strengthening, leadership development and activist support; and improving advocacy in philanthropy to increase access to new donors.
GMP Meeting in Kenya 2019
What does “trans” mean to the ITF?
The ITF understands trans as a political term that defines the communities of people that we work with. We use trans to define people whose gender identity or expression differs from their gender assigned at birth. Some of these people identify and present themselves as male or female; others identify with a non- binary gender category. These identities or expressions include trans women, trans men, fa’afafine, leiti, fakafifine, akava’ine, mahu, vakasalewalewa, palopa, Sistergirls, Brotherboys, whakawahine, tangata ira tane, muxhe, omeguid, travesti, two spirit, hijra, bandhu, mangalamukhi, kinnar, thirunangai, thirunambi, khwaja sira, meti, katoey, waria, mak nyah, kua xing nan, trans laki-laki, transpinay, transpinoy, kwaa-sing- bit, and transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, gender non-binary, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, and agender people – to name just a few.
As part of the ITF’s commitment to self-determination and decolonizing bodily oppressions, we are permanently committed and open to recognizing gender identities that emerge and that our communities claim within their socio-political contexts. These arise from the ongoing work of resistance and liberation that involves both the remembering and reimagining of gender identities and expressions. The ITF does not privilege any one gender identity or expression over another, including those communities who do not have specific terms to describe who they are.
ITF’s Grantmaking
The ITF is a participatory grantmaking fund and we take an activist-led approach that engages trans people in our grantmaking process. This means that trans people are actively involved at every stage, from determining funding priorities to reviewing applications and making decisions about which groups get funded. All eligible applications that are submitted to the ITF are reviewed
by our GMP.
GMP Meeting in Mexico 2017
Roles and Responsibilities of the GMP
The role of the GMP is to review grant proposals submitted to the ITF and make decisions on these grant applications in line with ITF’s priorities and principles. GMP members have the following responsibilities:
1. Participate in online GMP training.
2. Attend one annual in-person meeting (the meeting location changes each year) or virtual meeting which takes approximately 6 days
3. Take active part in online discussions, e-mail exchanges, and at least 75% of online meetings.
4. Lead and conduct grantmaking processes, including:
a. Encourage trans communities to apply for funding.
b. Review applications for funding.
c. Make collective decisions on funding proposals (decisions of the GMP are final pending ratification from the Board).
d. Recommend grantmaking priorities and provide input on ITF strategy as relevant.
5. Strictly adhere to ITF’s confidentiality and conflict of interest policies in and outside of the ITF at all times.
Time Commitment
● In order to fulfill this position, GMP members must be able to commit to the following:
● Participate in mandatory online training (3 hours) each year.
● Review 30-50 applications (including scoring and providing feedback) over 6 weeks in each annual grantmaking cycle (approximately 50 hours total each year).
● Attend and actively participate in either an in-person meeting or virtual meeting each year (6 days).
Qualification of the candidates
Essential qualifications:
● Identify as trans.
● Have at least 5 years of direct involvement with trans activism at the regional and/or international level.
● Be recognised by other trans activists in their region as a trans community activist.
● Be able to communicate and write in at least one of the ITF’s working languages (English or Spanish).
● Be able and willing to work in a diverse environment that includes activists and donors.
● Hold a passport allowing them to travel internationally to attend GMP meetings.
● Have a strong commitment to fulfill tasks and deadlines.
Optional qualifications: It would be desirable for candidates to:
● Be able to communicate and write in one of the other application languages (French, Russian or Chinese).
● Have direct experience managing and reporting on grants for trans work.
Conflict of Interest
GMP members or their family members cannot be significantly involved in any group that has applied or will apply for funding from the ITF. GMP members may not benefit financially from the grants assessed or existing ITF grants. Learn more about our Conflict of Interest policy here.
Timeframe
GMP members will be appointed by the Board for a two-year term.
Compensation
GMP members will receive a remuneration of USD$1,000 per one-year grant cycle. Members also receive travel expenses, including per diem, to attend ITF meetings.
Selection process
The Board will select eight (8) activists to serve as GMP members. When selecting candidates, every effort will be made to ensure diversity across regions, gender identities and expressions, and representation from further marginalized groups within trans communities.
Apply
Please submit your CV and cover letter to [email protected] by October 10, 2022.
On May 17th please join us for a panel discussion in celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). The theme of this year’s panel is Combating Transphobic Legislation. Over the past several years, bills targeting the rights of trans and nonbinary individuals have been introduced in a wave of anti-trans legislation in different countries. Brave activists have successfully challenged many such efforts by lobbying policymakers and engaging in public advocacy.
We are bringing together a diverse panel of trans activists from across the world to discuss their experience in mobilizing resources, organizing their communities, and fighting for trans rights on the legislative level.
Moderator: Viviane Vergueiro Simakawa (ITF)
Date: 17 May 2022
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 EST
Interpretation: Spanish, Russian
Please note that registration is required to access this webinar.
Hua Boonyapisomparn – Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice
Nachale Boonyapisomparn, Hua as people know her, is an experienced transgender activist and a transgender woman. She has worked with organizations and groups of all sizes – from local non-profit organizations to international organizations and networks.
Particularly, she has been involved in the establishment of the three trans-led organizations – locally, nationally in Thailand, and internationally. This includes being the first program manager at Sisters Foundation, being a founding member of the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights (ThaiTGA), and being the first coordinator and a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Transgender Network (APTN).
Currently, she is a Project Manager of the Intersex and Trans Movement Building Project at Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, the Vice-President of the Thai Foundation Board at Asia Pacific Transgender Network, and a Project Manager of the Trans Health Access Thailand (T-HAT) Project.
Emmett Schelling – Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT)
Emmett Schelling is a South Korean trans immigrant by way of foreign adoption who leads the largest statewide trans-led advocacy org in Texas. While his primary focus of work is on trans issues, his passion and understanding that individuals at their most whole and fullest are not impacted by single issues, but rather a myriad of issues that often manifest themselves in oppression and marginalization.
Before entering into movement/nonprofit work he came from corporate management after studying Business Management and Marketing in college. He felt compelled to invest deeper into the ongoing work towards collective liberation of trans folks after taking on various levels of community organizing and engagement combined with a series of eye opening events that pulled him into the work he currently does.
As well as currently serving as the Executive Director of Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) Emmett serves on the Community Council for Transform Houston and as a board member of Deeds Not Words, along with being a 2020 Trans Justice Funding Project (TJFP) Grantmaking Fellow, and is a Co-Director for the TransFORWARD, a statewide trans powered research collective in Texas. He resides in Houston with his fiancé, child, and two adopted pups who are essentially child 2 and 3.
Alex Castillo – Red Centroamericana de Hombres Trans (REDCAHT)
Alex Castillo is a transsexual man born in Guatemala City. Alex founded Trans-Formation, the first collective of trans men in Central America and works to strengthen the trans leadership in the region. He is also president of REDCADHT+ Network, the American collectives of Trans Men and gender dissident individuals assigned female at birth, which created a movement throughout the Central American and Caribbean region and has recently expanded to Peru, Mexico and Uruguay. In addition to his human rights work, Alex is an administrator, husband, father and grandfather.
Tina Kolos Orban – Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI)
Tina Kolos Orban is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Transgender Equality Network Ireland. They previously held the post of Vice President and Project Manager at the Transvanilla Transgender Association, where they were responsible for international relations and advocacy. Tina has also held the posts of Treasurer and Co-Chair with Transgender Europe, the leading representative trans organisation across Europe and Central Asia.
They were a co-founder of Transvanilla in Hungary in 2011 and have worked at both the European Union and United Nations levels. Tina also served on the International Trans Fund’s Grant Making Panel for 2 years. Tina has over eleven years of experience developing, managing, stabilizing and leading trans advocacy organisations on the national and international level. They are experienced in strategic leadership, community organising, and organisational stability and progression.
Reports to: Director ⬫ Closing Date: April 25, 2022
About the Organization
The International Trans Fund (ITF) is a trans activist and funder-led initiative that aims to increase the capacity of trans movements globally to self-organize and advocate for trans people’s rights, self- determination, and wellbeing. The ITF works to mobilize sustainable resources to help build strong, trans-led movements and collective action, and to address and eliminate funding gaps impacting trans groups across the globe.
We are looking for a colleague to work in a fast-paced environment where details matter because ultimately, our daily decisions and actions have to serve and meet the needs of trans-led movements across different global contexts. As a team, we value exchange and the instinct to seek help and input. We also value curiosity and a willingness to experiment with new practices to improve our work.
Please read through the following details to see if you’d like to submit an application for this vacancy.
Personal Qualities (personality traits, interests and preferences that describe you)
Deep connections to trans movements for social justice.
Committed to integrity in the process as well as the outcomes.
Creative in solving problems and bringing fresh thinking to obstacles.
Comfortable taking the lead when necessary to move things forward.
Invested in a positive work environment: shared purpose and shared wellbeing.
Ready to take decisions even without an ideal or obvious solution.
Comfortable managing multiple tracks of work at once.
Open to discussing and exchanging on work with colleagues.
The instinct to pull together as a team and to support others around you.
Knowledge (specialist expertise, experience, or access to networks that you bring to the role)
Undergraduate degree in Finance, Accounting, or any other relevant field combined with relative work experience. CA/CPA designation or in the progress is an asset.
Proficiency with managing budgets, revenues and expenses of a $2M+ organization. Financial Analysis, Dashboards and financial and non-financial consolidation of information.
Familiarity with auditing, accounting for nonprofits, grant management, donors grants and contracts management, internal controls, staff management, payroll and cost accounting principles and practices.
Experience working with senior staff and leadership in the development, implementation and maintenance of financial reporting programs, internal controls, accounting databases, financial policies and procedures, preferably in the nonprofit sector.
Significant experience with Accounting Software and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems with a preference of QuickBooks.
Sensitivity and awareness of cultural, racial, economic and socially diverse communities.
Familiarity with human resources management, knowledge of Ontario Employment Standard Act (ESA), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Anti-racism Anti-Oppression (ARAO) and collective self-care practices.
Familiarity and knowledge of basic administration management, logistics and operation support to a small but mighty team working virtually and globally.
Skills
Things you can do independently and effectively
Develop and implement accurate cash management strategies and monitor cash position.
Track, update and ensure that all funds remitted / transferred are documented and posted into the ledger.
Analyze financial data for statement preparation and to support management decisions.
Interpret and communicate financial information in a clear and effective manner.
Lead audit preparedness and act as primary liaison with external auditors, prepare all financial information for annual audit and implement recommended changes.
Participate in processes of shared learning, e.g. help our work and practices to grow stronger.
Manage your agenda, prioritize and plan thoughtfully to meet your own – and others’ – deadlines.
Engage in collaborative decision-making, co-creation and planning.
Accounting data entry based on complete and relevant supporting documents and in accordance with ITF policies and budget.
Manage the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) including creating employment and contractors contracts, update the HR system and support the Director in tracking staff paid time off and other HR matters.
Support Budget development including budget not limited to new proposals, annual operating budgets and others as required by management and Board.
Ensure the organization’s compliance with the Canada Non-Profit Corporations Act, Canada Revenue Agency and other governmental entities.
Manage and process the staff payroll, both in Canada and for the non-resident team members.
Support team meetings and in-person gathering with the required travel logistics, per diems and hotel bookings.
Manage and maintain the organization’s relationship with key service providers for operational services including banks, insurance broker, payroll service provider, IT and others as needed.
Develop, maintain and update the organization’s key operational policies including finance, admin, logistics, HR and others as needed.
Finance and Operations Senior Officer Accountabilities (what colleagues can rely on you to do)
Finance Responsibilities
Develop and implement accurate cash management strategies and undertake the approval of expenditures for staff, consultants, suppliers, grantees, and other external parties; Manage cash flow and preparation of pipelines for review by the Director to ensure availability of funds for the implementation of program activities for the ITF.
Examine financial data, including that related to procurement, for accuracy and compliance with ITF and donor policies and procedures and plan for and facilitate compliance checks and audits.
Check and authorize entries for coding and posting to the QuickBooks ledger system ensuring accuracy and prompt processing.
Perform review of reconciliations of subsidiary schedules/records for all Balance Sheet Accounts, to GL control account reviewing transactions and reconciling various accounts/balances relating to ledger balances; Review of the bank reconciliations.
Monitor cash position including preparation of remittance requests on a timely basis; Track, update and ensure that all other funds remitted / transferred are duly documented and posted into the ledger.
Review invoices and other payment vouchers prior to submitting them for approval ensuring accuracy and correctness and that amounts due and payable are indicated on the invoices; Keep proper record of all prepayments, accruals and related accounts.
Ensure audit preparedness and attend to the needs of auditors by way of participating in pre-audit meetings, prepare audit schedules as per checklist made available and any other pertinent supporting analysis; Act as primary liaison with external auditors, prepare all financial information for annual audit, implement recommended changes.
Prepare monthly payroll payments in time.
Vet, review and ensure all other payments (cash, transfers, etc.) are duly supported.
Prepare financial statements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, variance analysis) and generate financial reports to senior management, Board and Donors.
Ensure that all monthly tax payments, statutory & regulatory deductions & other returns are accurate & complete as well as they are remitted in time; Ensure timely preparation of tax returns & other forms to tax authorities.
Support in the development of financial policies and procedures.
Work with the Director on annual budget preparation and new proposals’ development.
Manage the corporate credit card programs including card issuance, monthly statement settlement collection of supporting documents and reconciliation with QuickBooks.
Manage and perform other duties as assigned by the Director.
Operations Responsibilities
Prepare contracts for staff, contractors and other service providers following the ITF’s policies and guidelines.
Liaison with key service providers to ensure quality and cost effective services are provided to the ITF and its team including IT, travel, insurance, etc.
Ensure the fulfillment and compliance with the organization’s HR policies and practices including supporting the team with their health and wellness reimbursement, group health program management (for the Canadian staff) and responding to staff inquiries about eligibility of expenses and other personnel issues.
Ensure the fulfillment of the ITF’s obligations towards the Government of Canada reporting requirements (e.g. Annual Corporation Return, Tax Return and others, update the organizing documents as needed).
Manage and perform other duties as assigned by the Director.
Additional Considerations
This position is based in Canada, preferably in Ontario although it is primarily work from home. The ITF is not able to offer visa sponsorship for this position, therefore only individuals who are eligible to work in Canada are invited to apply. While we unfortunately cannot provide a work permit/visa sponsorship for this positions, persons who are eligible and originate from a Global South country are encouraged to apply.
The salary range is between $50,000 and $60,000 USD/year commensurate with experience. We offer a competitive benefit package including Extended Health Care, RRSP, Wellness and paid time-off policy among other things.
Travel may be required from time to time depending on public health advice and the organization’s internal plans and assessment.
As one of the few trans-led funders in the philanthropic space, we are committed to expanding the circle of trans people active in this sector. Trans people are encouraged to apply.
We are committed to representing the diversity that exists across the trans community. We especially welcome applicants who are typically underrepresented in leadership positions, including trans women and feminine people, people of color, Black folks, sex workers, people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
We continue to strive to make our workplace accessible and look for ways to challenge white supremacist culture. We acknowledge that we aren’t there yet, we recognize that this is an ongoing work for the organization, and we know that this will require us to demonstrate – rather than describe – our commitment in the practices of the organization.
Application Steps
Application- Submit CV and Cover letter describing your connection to our vision, mission and your understanding of the Finance and Operations Senior Officer role.
Interview with tasks linked to the role (selected by invitation) – Zoom interviews, which provide an opportunity to demonstrate how you’d approach the role, for us to get to know your working process and for you to hear more about the day-to-day work environment at the ITF.
We will inform candidates of the outcome of their application at each step.
The International Trans Fund team is continually monitoring the situation in Ukraine. We are paying close attention to how the war is affecting trans communities and providing support to our partners.
In this difficult time, many Ukrainians are under attack and they need urgent help. We compiled a list of links to donate to trans, queer and LGBTQI organizations providing vital support to communities affected by this crisis. Every bit makes an impact. Please consider donating to them if you can:
International Trans Fund stands in solidarity with people affected by the war in Ukraine. We are sharing a statement from KyivPride, a Ukrainian LGBT+ organization.
“Today we are facing something that seemed to be impossible in the modern world: a real war. With bombs falling from the sky. With people dying. With soldiers trying to fight back the thoroughly prepared operation of an invasion into Ukraine and turning it into one of the Russian colonies.
As LGBTQI people, we are threatened, and we have no illusion that the Russian government will tolerate us. We need the world to act now.
We need the community around the world, as a political power, to address the government of their country and to call upon them for immediate action. Ukraine needs their help and support right now:
– a no-fly zone over Ukraine to secure Ukrainian airspace and protect civilians from Russian air attacks;
– providing weapons systems to Ukraine immediately;
– providing humanitarian support.
This is a very new way to protect human rights for us. Fighting Russian soldiers today means fighting for freedoms and rights for LGBTQI as well.
Economic sanctions towards Russia must be introduced immediately, including removing Russia from the SWIFT International Payments System. We don’t have time. We are under the threat of bombing and Russians occupying the streets of our cities today.
The Ukrainian LGBTQI community is under huge attack now. This is not only a threat to human rights and freedoms but also a threat to life.
We are scrolling the news not knowing what the next moment will bring. Russians already invaded Ukraine and are coming closer to our houses to take away all we gained after the years and years of our fight for human rights. Please take action. Please call your government to act now.”
The ITF strongly condemns a recent transphobic legislative initiative introduced in the Congress of Guatemala. We stand in solidarity with the trans and nonbinary community against a bill that seeks to define trans and non-binary identities as “disorders”, and seeks to criminalize all public debate on trans acceptance and rights. In December 2021, a group of twenty-one lawmakers in Congress’ Commission on Education, Science, and Technology advanced a bill that would stigmatize trans and nonbinary identities and violate children’s and adolescents’ right to education.
Bill 5940 claims to “protect children from gender identity disorders” when in reality it is a discriminatory attempt to ban the dissemination of any information about trans identity in sex education classes in schools. The bill seeks to impose restrictions on media, requiring programs with gender identity content to be labeled as “not recommended” for minors. Preventing access to science-based information about gender and sexuality for children violates their rights and directly contradicts freedom of speech.
Diversity of gender identity and expression is completely natural for society. Gender is a spectrum and any attempt to demonize gender identity is an attack on human rights. Trans and nonbinary people pose no threat to others and deserve safety, respect and inclusion.
Pathologizing trans and nonbinary people runs counter to the established international medical consensus. “Gender identity disorder” and “transsexualism” have been removed from the World Health Organization’s latest International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) “Mental and Behavioral Disorders” chapter and are not considered disorders in the medical community. Pathologizing trans identities historically leads to greater violence and motivates hate.
This retrogressive legislative initiative supported by the Congress of Guatemala is unscientific and cruel. It stigmatizes an already vulnerable trans and nonbinary community calling it “a corrupting influence, harmful to children”. Central America remains among the regions with the highest rates of attacks against trans individuals. Bill 5940 would deepen the stigma and put people’s lives at risk. Recent reports have shown that the government of Guatemala had failed to adequately protect LGBT people against violence.
We urge the Congress of Guatemala to reject the bill and instead promote respect and equality, focusing on preventing pervasive violence and discrimination that trans and nonbinary people face and uphold children’s right to comprehensive education.
We would like to acknowledge the amazing work done by the trans activist community of Guatemala and our former grantee partner Colectivo Trans-Formacion. You can visit their website: https://hombrestranslatam.org/ or get in touch with the group’s coordinator Alex Rodrigo Castillo [email protected]
