Helsinki, 15.12.2014
Political Bureau of the CPF
The current Finnish legislation violates physical integrity, protection of privacy and family life, the right to health, as well as the right to self-determination of transsexual people
The aim of the labor movement is a society where all people are equal. All should have equal rights and obligations irrespective of their gender or sexual orientation. The legal requirement to live in compliance with a certain gender role is not justified in the light of modern understanding of gender and therefore legislation needs to be updated to meet people's identities.
The Nordic Youth Council has proposed the recognition of a third gender in the entire Nordic region. The terms of gender recognition are of crucial importance for the realization of human rights of transgender people.
The situation and research challenge to change the Act on transsexualism.
The United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and a wide range of civil society organizations in Finland and internationally have, inter alia, demanded the removal of terms that violate the human rights of trans people. Finland is not a forerunner: in Argentina, Germany and Denmark, gender is notified personally. Similarly, Norway is preparing amendments to the law on transsexualism. The research on discrimination against transgender people carried out by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rghts corroborates the need for change of law.
Medical and legal sex correction
CPF demands that notification of gender be introduced into the law, meaning that the legal notification of gender needs to be based on a statement made by the person concerned. Gender recognition could be based on a personal statement made to the register office as it is for instance the case in Denmark and Argentina. CPF demands in addition that the mentioning of reproductive inability be deleted from the law.
The legal amendment must ensure that transgender people parenthood be safeguarded as a principle of human rights and in line with data protection rights. Thus, it should be possible that the person who has given birth to a child can be recognized to be the child's father. With regard to existing children, in turn, it should be possible to change motherhood into fatherhood and fatherhood into motherhood.
From a human rights perspective minors should also enjoy the right to rectify their legal gender status.
In addition, it is necessary to change the situation in which the doctor operates a baby whose gender can not be clearly defined. Parents of intersexual babies should enjoy the possibility to register their newborn child in the register of the third sex rather than being forced to have their child operated. Modifying legal gender is less risky than physically changing the human body.
Studies show that on average, one out of five of the employed or job seekers felt they have been discriminated against in employment or job search. With regard to trans people, the same study shows that up to one in three experienced discrimination in employment or job search.
At work the place there is a need for bold initiatives and for fair jobs that respect the diversity of working people. When renewing the industrial relations, the trade union movement must take into account the needs of gender and sexual minorities.
The Communist Party wants to promote gender equality and the right of people to define themselves. That is why the Communist Party supports the recognition of a third gender.