International Bill of Gender Rights
(As adopted June 17, 1995 in Houston, Texas, U.S.A.)
The International Bill of Gender Rights (IBGR) strives to express human and civil rights
from a gender perspective.
However, the ten rights enunciated below are not to be viewed as special rights applicable
to a particular interest
group. Nor are these rights limited in application to persons for whom gender identity and
gender role issues are of
paramount concern. All ten sections of the IBGR are universal rights which can be claimed
and exercised by every
human being.
The International Bill of Gender Rights (IBGR) was first drafted in committee and adopted
by the International Conference
on Transgender Law and Employment Policy (ICTLEP) at that organization's second annual
meeting, held in Houston, Texas,
August 26-29, 1993.
The IBGR has been reviewed and amended in committee and adopted with revisions at
subsequent annual meetings of
ICTLEP in 1994 and 1995.
The IBGR is a theoretical construction which has no force of law absent its adoption by
legislative bodies and recognition
of its principles by courts of law, administrative agencies and international bodies such
as the United Nations.
However, individuals are free to adopt the truths and principles expressed in the IBGR,
and to lead their lives accordingly.
In this fashion, the truths expressed in the IBGR will liberate and empower humankind in
ways and to an extent beyond the
reach of legislators, judges, officials and diplomats.
When the truths expressed in the IBGR are embraced and given expression by humankind, the
acts of legislatures and
pronouncements of courts and other governing structures will necessarily follow. Thus, the
paths of free expression trodden
by millions of human beings, all seeking to define themselves and give meaning to their
lives, will ultimately determine the
course of governing bodies.
The IBGR is a transformative and revolutionary document but it is grounded in the bedrock
of individual liberty and free
expression. As our lives unfold these kernels of truth are here for all who would claim
and exercise them.
This document, though copyrighted, may be reproduced by any means and freely distributed
by anyone supporting the
principles and statements contained in the International Bill of Gender Rights.
Comments, suggestions or questions regarding the IBGR should be forwarded to Sharon
Stuart, IBGR Project, P.O. Box 930,
Cooperstown, NY 13326 U.S.A. Telephone: (607) 547- 4118. FAX: (607) 547-2198. E-Mail:
StuComOne@aol.com.
Universities, libraries, academicians, attorneys, judges, government officials, social
workers, and others may obtain bound
proceedings from each of the annual ICTLEP conferences for $65 each (300 plus pages per
volume). Contact ICTLEP, 5707
Firenza Street, Houston, TX 77035 - 5515 U.S.A. E-Mail: ictlep@aol.com.
The Right To Define Gender Identity
All human beings carry within themselves an ever-unfolding idea of who they are and what
they are capable of achieving.
The individual's sense of self is not determined by chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned
birth sex, or initial gender role.
Thus, the individual's identity and capabilities cannot be circumscribed by what society
deems to be masculine or feminine
behavior. It is fundamental that individuals have the right to define, and to redefine as
their lives unfold, their own gender
identities, without regard to chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned birth sex, or initial
gender role.
Therefore, all human beings have the right to define their own gender identity regardless
of chromosomal sex, genitalia,
assigned birth sex, or initial gender role; and further, no individual shall be denied
Human or Civil Rights by virtue of a
self-defined gender identity which is not in accord with chromosomal sex, genitalia,
assigned birth sex, or initial gender
role.
The Right To Free Expression Of Gender Identity
Given the right to define one's own gender identity, all human beings have the
corresponding right to free expression of their
self-defined gender identity.
Therefore, all human beings have the right to free expression of their self- defined
gender identity; and further, no individual
shall be denied Human or Civil Rights by virtue of the expression of a self-defined gender
identity.
The Right To Secure And Retain Employment And To Receive Just Compensation
Given the economic structure of modern society, all human beings have a right to train for
and to pursue an occupation or
profession as a means of providing shelter, sustenance, and the necessities and bounty of
life, for themselves and for those
dependent upon them, to secure and retain employment, and to receive just compensation for
their labor regardless of gender
identity, chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned birth sex, or initial gender role.
Therefore, individuals shall not be denied the right to train for and to pursue an
occupation or profession, nor be denied the
right to secure and retain employment, nor be denied just compensation for their labor, by
virtue of their chromosomal sex,
genitalia, assigned birth sex, or initial gender role, or on the basis of a self-defined
gender identity or the expression thereof.
The Right Of Access To Gendered Space And Participation In Gendered Activity
Given the right to define one's own gender identity and the corresponding right to free
expression of a self-defined gender
identity, no individual should be denied access to a space or denied participation in an
activity by virtue of a self-defined
gender identity which is not in accord with chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned birth
sex, or initial gender role.
Therefore, no individual shall be denied access to a space or denied participation in an
activity by virtue of a self-defined
gender identity which is not in accord with chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned birth
sex, or initial gender role.
The Right To Control And Change One's Own Body
All human beings have the right to control their bodies, which includes the right to
change their bodies cosmetically,
chemically, or surgically, so as to express a self-defined gender identity.
Therefore, individuals shall not be denied the right to change their bodies as a means of
expressing a self-defined gender
identity; and further, individuals shall not be denied Human or Civil Rights on the basis
that they have changed their bodies
cosmetically, chemically, or surgically, or desire to do so as a means of expressing a
self-defined gender identity.
The Right To Competent Medical And Professional Care
Given the individual's right to define one's own gender identity, and the right to change
one's own body as a means of
expressing a self-defined gender identity, no individual should be denied access to
competent medical or other professional
care on the basis of the individual's chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned birth sex, or
initial gender role.
Therefore, individuals shall not be denied the right to competent medical or other
professional care when changing their
bodies cosmetically, chemically, or surgically, on the basis of chromosomal sex,
genitalia, assigned birth sex, or initial
gender role.
The Right To Freedom From Psychiatric Diagnosis Or Treatment
Given the right to define one's own gender identity, individuals should not be subject to
psychiatric diagnosis or treatment
solely on the basis of their gender identity or role.
Therefore, individuals shall not be subject to psychiatric diagnosis or treatment as
mentally disordered or diseased solely
on the basis of a self-defined gender identity or the expression thereof.
The Right To Sexual Expression
Given the right to a self-defined gender identity, every consenting adult has a
corresponding right to free sexual expression.
Therefore, no individual's Human or Civil Rights shall be denied on the basis of sexual
orientation; and further, no
individual shall be denied Human or Civil Rights for expression of a self-defined gender
identity through sexual acts
between consenting adults.
The Right To Form Committed, Loving Relationships And Enter Into Marital Contracts
Given that all human beings have the right to free expression of self-defined gender
identities, and the right to sexual
expression as a form of gender expression, all human beings have a corresponding right to
form committed, loving
relationships with one another, and to enter into marital contracts, regardless of their
own or their partner's chromosomal
sex, genitalia, assigned birth sex, or initial gender role.
Therefore, individuals shall not be denied the right to form committed, loving
relationships with one another or to enter into
marital contracts by virtue of their own or their partner's chromosomal sex, genitalia,
assigned birth sex, or initial gender
role, or on the basis of their expression of a self-defined gender identity.
The Right To Conceive, Bear, Or Adopt Children; The Right To Nurture And Have Custody Of
Children And To Exercise Parental Capacity
Given the right to form a committed, loving relationship with another, and to enter into
marital contracts, together with the
right to express a self-defined gender identity and the right to sexual expression,
individuals have a corresponding right to
conceive and bear children, to adopt children, to nurture children, to have custody of
children, and to exercise parental
capacity with respect to children, natural or adopted, without regard to chromosomal sex,
genitalia, assigned birth sex, or
initial gender role, or by virtue of a self-defined gender identity or the expression
thereof.
Therefore, individuals shall not be denied the right to conceive, bear, or adopt children,
nor to nurture and have custody of
children, nor to exercise parental capacity with respect to children, natural or adopted,
on the basis of their own, their
partner's, or their children's chromosomal sex, genitalia, assigned birth sex, initial
gender role, or by virtue of a self-defined
gender identity or the expression thereof.