Some 300 people demonstrated in Brussels on Sunday afternoon to demand more rights and respect for transgender and intersex people.
“We are still excluded and attacked in this society because of who we are,” said a spokesperson. “Transphobia and interphobia are on the rise, and there is an urgent need for much more than performative ‘inclusion’.”
According to the protesters, transgender and intersex people do not have full access to health care. “We also face physical and verbal violence, exclusion from the labour market, sports clubs and the housing market,” the spokesperson added. “At the same time, we are witnessing a sharp increase in nationalist discourse, which is accompanied by transphobic discourse, while transgender and intersex people have little say in the media. So-called inclusive legislation is being developed, but it is superficial and has no effect.”
The protesters are calling for clear changes. They suggest that health workers, but also staff in government, education and justice, should be better trained to deal with transgender and intersex people in a non-stigmatising way.
The demonstration started in Albertine Square and moved to the Poelaert Square. The majority of the demonstrators asked not to be photographed or recognised for fear of reprisals.
