I am proud to be part of the Transgender Community. I am extremely proud to be Transsexual.

However, I am not proud of the Transgender Community as a whole for their lack of COMMITMENT, WIILINGNESS to STAND up and be COUNTED, to FIGHT for THEIR RIGHTS, to be out there being SEEN.

Most of our Community are only too willing to stay in the "CLOSET" and let others become activists, who will hopefully achieve for them what they are only too willing to accept as a flow on effect, that others have fought for. If we put up a concerted front, we would achieve far more, far quicker than is currently being done.

The Police Superintendent in Brisbane at a Forum, stood up and said "Your LBGT Community accounts for about 10% of the population, so you have enough clout to form State and Federal Committees to push your claims" I sat and thought " Yes, the L and G community are willing to do these things, but you can’t get the TG community to participate, as most are unwilling to come out !!

The amount of in fighting and downright cattiness that exists between groups only displays a lack of will to co-operate. Each group has it’s own agenda and will not talk or join forces. CD groups clash with TS groups and vice versa, so what hope is there of a concerted front to portray for the push for rights. If we cannot portray this concerted front to the rest of the Community what hope is there of them being willing to listen and grant our demands?

In Queensland, my Home State, we have just had Anti Discrimination and Anti Vilification laws enacted. These have been achieved by a tireless few, who have worked long and hard for over 10 years. Just think what would have been achieved if we had all stood up and been counted. How much less would the time taken have been to reach those goals?

The UK Government is prevaricating over changes as instructed by the European Court of Human Rights. I know there are about 12 different Departments involved, but when you have people comment that "There are no votes in Transsexuals" it only goes to show the unfortunate lack of Commitment and of being counted that exists in the TS community.

They reckon there are about 5000 Transsexuals in the UK. I think a lot more will come to light when the Birth Certificates are changed.

If we really desire to achieve full recognition of our status, then we have to lobby tirelessly until we have achieved those ends. My admiration for the few who are willing to stand up and push for change is boundless.

All I can say is "COME ON THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY, BOTH FtM AND MtF, STAND UPAND BE COUNTED" There are more of us out there than you think. Let us combine for the strength we can display in order to reach those

GOALS!