ABSTRACT: The European Parliament invites the member States to issue provisions for regulating transsexuals' right to change. The protests of Marco Pannella as regards the election of an honorary life-time President of the Assembly on Equality ACP-EEC (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific), which is not provided for by any regulation. The candidacy of the Roumanian dissident Doina Cornea for the Sacharov Prize. After over four years, European Parliament has approved the report on equalizing laws recognizing conscientious objection in the member States.

October 16, 1989

TRANSSEXUALS: THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT APPROVED A RESOLUTION IN RECOGNIZING TRANSSEXUALS' RIGHTS. PANNELLA SPEAKS IN STRASBOURG: "WORK FOR THE CONCRETE APPLICATION OF THIS RESOLUTION". CORLEONE: "A CHALLENGE TO EUROPE FOR TOLERANCE".

OCTOBER 14 AND 15, MIT CONGRESS IN ROME.

Rome, September 16--N.R.--Following the presentation of a petition for the recognition of the rights of transsexuals by Pina Bonanno, leading spirit of MIT (Italian Transsexuals' Movement), European Parliament recently approved the attached resolution.

European Parliament members Marco Pannella and Franco Corleone participated in the debate held in the conference hall in Strasbourg.

Pannella stated that "repression, psychological terror, the attempts of dominant culture to avoid dealing reasonably and morally with this issue, prevent anyone's being able to resolve logically, consistently and morally the contradictions and difficulties which are dramatic, and which absolutely cannot be ignored by anyone who seriously considers the problems of human life, sexual life and eros.

I believe it to be very important that we adopt this resolution, but also that we ensure its immediate application".

Ecologist/Rainbow Parliament member Franco Corleone stated that: transsexuality is today recognized in most European countries as a syndrome; however, from the legislative point of view, the possibility of changing or adapting sexual characteristics is recognized in all countries. It is significant that the resolution defines transsexuality not only as a psychological or medical problem, but also as an issue of the individual's freedom and right to live a life which does not conflict with his sexual identity. Transsexuality is also a problem of a society, incapable of facing so drastic a diversity, which places in question the traditionally entrenched and atavistic sexual roles. Respect for the transsexual--a numerically small minority, but significant for the values and convictions they place in question--challenges Europe to be tolerant, at a time when prejudices and racism towards "differences--as regards skin colour, comportment or ideas--is dangerously on the rise".

THIS IS THE TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION.

(...)

A. Considering that procedures relative to transsexual sex changes have not yet been drawn up or regulated in the European Community member States, and the fact that the relative costs are not covered by health insurance;

B. Deploring the fact that transsexuals are still discriminated against everywhere, marginated and at times actually penalized;

C. Aware that the rate of unemployment among transsexuals is between 60-80% during the period of sex change;

D. Establishing that transsexuality constitutes a psychological and medical problem, but that it is also a problem of a society which is incapable of facing changes in sexual roles rooted in culture and tradition;

1) is convinced that human dignity and the right to individuality must include also the right to conduct a life which responds to the individual's sexual identity;

2) requests the member States to issue provisions to regulate the right of transsexuals to change their sex (including, endocrinological, surgical--plastic and aesthetic and relative procedures) forbidding discrimination;

considers that that procedure shall guarantee at least the following:

a) differential diagnosis, psychiatric-psychotherapeutic, of transsexualism in favor of self-diagnosis;

b) consultation period: psychotherapeutic support, explanations of sex changes, medical examinations;

c) hormone treatment/daily test, i.e., experiencing the new sexual role for at least a year;

d) surgical intervention, subject to authorization by a specific group, made up of a specialist, a psychotherapist and if necessary, a representative named by the person in question;

3) legal recognition: change of name, correction of the data as regards sex on the birth certificate and identification documents;

4) requests the member States to take the opportune measures in order that the costs for psychological, endocrinological, surgical (plastic and aesthetic) treatment of the transsexuals is reimbursed by health insurance policies; 5) requests the member States to concede relief benefits to transsexuals who, because of the adaptation of sexual characteristics, have lost, through no fault of their own, their job and/or housing;

6) requests the member States to institute consulting rooms for transsexuals and to financially support their organizations;

7) requests the member States to provide information on the problems of transsexuals, in particular within social service structures, the police, border police, the registry office, military and penal administrations;

8) requests the Commission and the Council to specify that Community rules on the equal rights for men and women in the work place also forbid discrimination against transsexuals;

9) requests the Commission, the Council of member States, to provide identification documents on which it is possible, upon request, to indicate the holder's transsexuality, during the period of adaptation--documents which would be recognized throughout the Community;

10) requests the Council and the member States to recognize, in the context of equal rights, the right to protection from persecution, the cause of which is transexuality;

11) requests the Commission to make available, in the context of its programmes for action, financing for research on transsexuality and the diffusion of current medical knowledge in this area;

12) requests the Commission to intervene in the member States in order that they provide special measures to facilitate job placement of transsexuals;

13) requests notification of an office within the Commission, where cases of discrimination can be reported;

14) charges its President to transmit this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the member States, as well as the Council of Europe.

* * * * *

Remember that the Italian Transsexual Movement Congress is held in Rome on October 14/15.

September 29, 1989

ACP-EEC: PANNELLA QUITS PARIS SESSION OF ACP-EEC ASSEMBLY: "AN ORGAN WITHOUT RULES INDICATES, WITH ITS DECISION TO "INVENT" THE ELECTION OF HONORARY LIFE-TIME PRESIDENT, BERSANI, ITS FINAL ACT.

Versailles, September 29--N.R.--Marco Pannella stated:

"The ACP-EEC Assembly on Equality today decided--upon the proposal of European members--to provide regulation to justify the election of honorary life-time presidents. And it elected as Honorary President ex-Parliament member and ex-co-president, Giovanni Bersani, Italian Christian Democrat.

This is surely the first case where a public institution, an elective (fixed term) assembly, has nominated an "honorary president" and--what is more--for life!

The Assembly on Equality thus performed what is, on the juridic level, a non-act, and on the political level, an an act which is undemocratic and against parliamentary procedure. A vulgar and arrogant act.

The existence of the Assembly originates from various Lome' accords, each time with specific treaty norms, within each of the treaties.

For ten years the level of its existence has become progressively worse and progressively less adequate.

It is the only Assembly which has not provided so much as one financial regulation for ten years, nor has it discussed or approved consultative and preliminary budgets. Paternalistic judgement, at the service of party system interests, has been its only regulation. Today's final act is a perfect illustration, on the juridical, parliamentary and political levels, of this situation.

I left the session in protest to this abuse, which would confer on a "life-time honorary presidency" the honour of a member of parliament and a citizen consistent with his own commitments and political leanings.

Instead of Jeu de Paume! we might well say it is the Jeu de Paumes of poor devils and fools!

October 6, 1989

ROUMANIA: THE ECOLOGIST GROUP IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, ON THE INITIATIVE OF ADELAIDE AGLIETTA, PROPOSES THE CANDIDACY OF DOINA CORNEA, PERSECUTED ROUMANIAN, FOR THE SACHAROV PRIZE.

Brussels, October 6--N.R.--On the initiative of Adelaide Aglietta, Ecologist/Rainbow Coalition Deputy to European Parliament, the Ecologist Group of European Parliament presented the candidacy of the Roumanian Dina Cornea for the Sacharov Prize.

Since 1958, the university career of Doina Cornea, instructor of Italian and French, has been blocked by her refusal to join the Hungarian Communist Party. And during that time, she has dedicated herself to the diffusion of texts forbidden by the regime, and giving interviews for Western newspapers in which she explains the situation in Roumania--actions for which she has been repeatedly imprisoned, or placed under house arrest.

Despite considerable international pressure, the Roumanian authorities have failed to give in: her telephone is constantly blocked, and her home continuously under surveillance, and any meeting with Doina Cornea is forbidden.

In 1989, she was invited by European Parliament to a hearing on the situation in Roumania; the invitation was never delivered. On March 14, 1989, she was awarded the Danish Peace Foundation's Prize.

On May 18, 1989, she was attacked by a police guard in front of her own door--the result was 17 wounds, a fractured rib-cage and multiple contusions.

A Belgian member of European Parliament who attempted to visit her was beaten by the militia.

The European Parliament Ecologist Group sustains that this case should be brought to the attention of those who are concerned with human rights, and all international public opinion. For this reason, they presented the candidacy of Doina Cornea for the Sacharow Prize, which was created by European Parliament for special cases of violation of human rights, particularly in the Eastern European countries.

October 13, 1989

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES THE EQUALIZATION OF EEC NORMS ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION.

Strasbourg, October 13--N.R.--European Parliament today adopted the Schmidbauer Report on the petition presented four years ago by 25,000 European youths for the equalization of the norms on conscientious objection, for the recognition of this right in all the member countries, for the equal treatment of objectors, especially as regards the period of civil service.

The final text, approved by Socialists and Communists, while rejected by Christian Democrats, conservatives and many liberals, represents a moving back from E.P. positions in relation to the Macciocchi Report approved by the E.P. in 1983. In particular, many amendments were rejected which were aimed, for example, sanctioning the right to equal treatment, a principle affirmed recently by the Italian Constitutional Court. Before the refusal of the Socialists group to create a majority in this sense, the ecologist group decided to abstain, not intending to endorse the inexplicable minimalist line which was intended to prevail. A good occasion was thus lost, repressing the role that the E.P. had gained in this field for antimilitarist association and objectors throughout Europe. The struggle to obtain recognition of the right to conscientious objection in countries such as Greece must continue on other fronts. It is a shame, but let everyone take his due responsibility.