BeLonG To Executive Director, Moninne Griffith Appointed Chair of Gender Recognition Act Review

BeLonG To Executive Director, Moninne Griffith Appointed Chair of Gender Recognition Act Review

Friday, November 3rd, 2017

BeLonG To Executive Director and former Marriage Equality Director, Moninne Griffith has been appointed Independent Chair of the group to review Ireland’s 2015 Gender Recognition Act.

The review of the 2015 Act will cover issues such as gender recognition for children younger than 16 years of age; arrangements for 16 and 17 year olds; and the position of non-binary and intersex persons. Moninne will be joined by a group of experts including Sara Phillips of TENI, Dr Tanya Ni Mhuirthile of Dublin City University and Seamus Byrne, Youth Representative from BeLonG To, alongside a number of Government representatives.

As Independent Chair, Moninne will guide the review process and present recommendations to Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty, T.D.

“I am honoured to take on this role of Independent Chair and look forward to guiding the process to review Ireland’s gender recognition legislation. In my role as Executive Director at BeLonG To Youth Services, I listen to the voices of our young LGBTI+ people, and know of the challenges and struggles that our trans and non-binary young people face every day here in Ireland. I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with a team of expert voices to create an Ireland where our young trans and non-binary people are safe, valued and equal in the eyes of the law.” 

Director of Advocacy at BeLonG To, Dr Carol-Anne O’Brien will continue to lead on BeLonG To’s work on this topic and present a submission developed in partnership with young transgender and non-binary people in BeLonG To Youth Services and our national network of LGBTI+ groups. BeLonG To has been engaging trans and non-binary members for over a year now in an intensive consultation process around gender recognition.

Speaking on this, Dr Carol-Anne O’Brien said: “Our focus at BeLonG To Youth Services is to achieve equality and legal recognition for trans and non-binary young people who are under 18 years of age. When we have completed our consultation process with young people, we will be calling for specific changes to the existing Gender Recognition Act.”