Our gender projects aim to teach doctors, bureaucrats, employers, teachers, trade unions, politicians, university administrations, dole officers, next-door neighbours and all other people in positions of power how to respect and support the needs of differently gendered folk.

We are continually looking for innovative and exciting ways that we can do this. If you have ideas and energy to share, please contact us. You can also just turn up to one of our gender project meetings – these are our meetings for planning, scheming and organising stuff.

Read on for info about our current and past gender projects.

Current gender projects

GQ: Gender Questioning resource booklet

In April 2005, Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria (GLHV) approached TMGP with a proposal to create a resource booklet for young people questioning their gender. TMGP developed the text for the collaborative project – a booklet titled GQ: Gender Questioning .

The booklet is filled with valuable information for young trans people, including a section for friends, family, teachers and allies. After months of writing and editing the text, the booklet is now available.

You can download a copy of GQ: Gender Questioning here (135K PDF file; requires Adobe Reader or an equivalent to view). To get hard copies of the booklet sent to you, please email GLHV at info@glhv.org.au

Ongoing advocacy

TMGP is a coalition actively working towards freedom of gender expression. We have been communicating with various organisations to discuss ways in which they can support differently-gendered people. Stay tuned for more details.

Training package to raise awareness of gender diversity

Some TMGP members are doing research to develop a training package that raises awareness around gender diversity and transgender issues in workplaces and the community at large. We are currently looking at funding options for producing this package, so if you think you can assist us in any way, please contact us.

Past gender projects

Workshop presented at Health In Difference 5 conference

From 20-22 January 2005, Melbourne hosted the fifth Australian gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex health conference, Health in Difference 5.

Three TMGP members - Aren Z. Aizura, Ash Pike, and Jay Chamings - presented a two-hour workshop titled ‘Transgender health options in Melbourne: A genderqueer overview of the current situation’ to a full room of eager conference goers.

The workshop was a great success. Georgina Beyer (prominent New Zealand MP and out transwoman) introduced the workshop. Aren, Ash and Jay talked about transgender and gender diversity and how workers in schools, the health sector and the wider community can better work with people of diverse gender. The diversity of the transgender community - and the impact of medical practitioners who fail to embrace this diversity - was also discussed.

The workshop also examined how the struggle for trans liberation can be a fight that is not limited to people who identify as transgendered, are taking sex hormones and/or accessing gender reassignment surgery. Rather, trans liberation can be viewed as a way to create spaces to allow anyone to express any gender identity without fear of discrimination.