Young transgender people go to Canberra to lobby for change
http://www.barossaherald.com.au/story/3743724/young-transgender-people-go-to-canberra-to-lobby-for-change/?cs=12
Barossa Herald/By Judith Ireland Feb. 22, 2016, 1:10 p.m.
"Tasmanian mum Laura Edwards* recently made a video about her wishes for her 12-year-old daughter, Myra*.
It begins with the hope that "when you're 16, you'll be focussed on learning (and having fun) at school ... not worrying about attending court to get the treatment you need"."
Families with transgender children gather in Canberra to lobby for hormone treatment law changes
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-22/parents-of-trangender-children-meet-with-politicians-in-canberra/7189454
ABC News/666 ABC Canberra
Updated about 2 hours ago
"Families with transgender children are meeting with politicians in Canberra to ask for changes to the laws that govern young people's access to hormone treatment.
Key points:
•Children must apply to the Family Court of Australia for stage-two of treatment involving gender-changing hormones
•Must show "Gillick competence", a test used to decide if a child under 16 is able to consent to their own medical treatment
•Families in Canberra to speak with politicians about changes to laws so courts do not need to be involved
Isabelle, 12, will be among them, with her mother Naomi McNamara."
Australian transgender children closer to accessing hormones without court permission
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/22/australian-transgender-children-closer-to-accessing-hormones-without-court-permission
The Guardian
Shalailah Medhora
February 22,2016
One of the biggest barriers to transgender children accessing hormones – the requirement that such treatment be approved by the courts – may soon be cleared, as the Coalition and Labor signal that they will consider removing judicial oversight provisions.
Australia is the only country in the world to force families to obtain permission from the courts before transgender children can fully transition. Judges can deny or delay requests to start stage-two hormone therapy, which administers either testosterone or oestrogen to the patient.
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Nice to see this story being covered by many outlets. Perhaps some change for the better will occur.