_DISCLAIMER_

I am Chloe Satter, November last year I realized I was Transgender, MTF (Male to Female), I am 16, so what I say please take in mind that I am still new to this, mainly the whole Family Court process as I have learnt about it in January this year, please forgive me if I have anything wrong about it.

And I would like to add, I am not saying the Suicide Rate in Trans is a bigger problem in Australia, all I am saying is that the process that we have to go through increases our Stress, Anxiety and Depression than we would if we went through it without the Family Court, making us...more Fragile.

For people who are Transgender, it can be very stressful, depressing and Anxiety inducing experience pre-HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).

Now imagine if you are under 18...

In every country besides Australia, after a couple of months, therapy visits and visits with a Psychiatrist, and of course permission from the Parents, no matter what age you are (unless you are over 18, then you don't need their permission) you can start Hormone Replacement Therapy in a year.

But in Australia, it's more complicated, more stressful and expensive, not only for the Family, but especially the child who is Transgender, cause not only are they stressed out, depressed and anxious due to them not being in the right body, they now are more because they have to wait, how long you ask? Well it depends on when the Family Court can get you in.

That's right, in Australia, you have to go through a Court to get your child on Hormone Replacement Therapy. You, The Parent, aren't allowed to give permission, the Government has to.

Why must this be the case? Why can't the parent decide what's best for their child and not the Government?

It is really silly that as a Parent, you can decide what your Child can do, take, eat, hang out with and all that, but when it comes to your Child being Transgender? The Government has to step in and take over.

Beside it being silly, it is also extremely dangerous for the Child who is Transgender. Why you ask? Because the Suicide rate is higher, not only for Trans people, but also for Lesbian, Bi, Gays and so on.

_Sources_

http://www.yspp.org/about_suicide/statistics.htm​

http://www.vocativ.com/culture/lgbt/transgender-suicide/​

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/AFSP-Williams-Suicide-Report-Final.pdf​

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/16/transgender-individuals-face-high-rates--suicide-attempts/31626633/

 

Outside of Australia, while the Suicide rates are still extremely high, they (Trans) don't have to worry about going through a Court, and having to wait who knows how long, just to get a chance at starting Hormone Replacement Therapy.

So all the stress, Depression and Anxiety they have aren't really that high compared to the Australian Trans.

This is what every Trans person (Including Australian Trans except for the last bit) has to go through.

Seeing a Gender Therapist/Psychiatrist, going through Therapy over the course of a few months, going back to the Gender Therapist/Psychiatrist and if you still believe you are Trans, then you get to start Hormone Replacement Therapy.

With Australian Trans, it's the same but instead of starting Hormone Replacement Therapy shortly after, you have to get an Appointment with the Family Court, which can be a couple months, the Stress Levels would skyrocket and the Transgender Child would most likely start going into Depression, feeling as they would never get to transition, days would start feeling like Eternity.

Then once the day comes, you go to the Court, and two things can happen, you can start HRT, or, you get to do all of that again and come back, that's right. You get to do all of it again if they don't believe you are Transgender.

This is simply not right.

But there have been brave Families who have gone through all of this, and a lot of them are fighting to get rid of this.

Last month a bunch of Families gathered in Canberra to lobby for Hormone Treatment Law Change, to have the ability to start the treatment without going through the court.

_Sources_

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-22/parents-of-trangender-children-meet-with-politicians-in-canberra/7189454​

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lanesainty/meet-the-kids-fighting-for-the-right-to-transition#.rdNRgdo3j​

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/22/australian-transgender-children-closer-to-accessing-hormones-without-court-permission​

http://www.ibtimes.com.au/australian-transgender-children-fight-access-hormones-without-court-approval-1505762

 

Right now, we Australians, We Trans Australians are closer than before to getting rid of the Court interfering with our Transitioning, and with our Parenting.

Surely we should be the ones to decide what's best for our kids, not the Government.

Please sign this Petition, Spread it around and make this spread like wildfire, we can get rid of this and make the Young Trans go through their experience with less Stress than we have.