‘I fought Government on transgender issue’

Joanne Cassar, who had a sex change, is “angry and upset” that the Prime Minister said he would address transgender issues when his government had been contesting her right to marry for the past seven years. The 31-year-old hairdresser has a pending case against the Government, before the European Court of Human Rights, for breaching her rights by refusing to issue marriage banns after her gender was changed to female on her birth certificate. A few months ago, she said, the ECHR asked the Government if it wanted to reach an agreement with her but the Government stuck to its argument – that marriage can only take place between a biological male and female and Ms Cassar’s gender was only changed on paper to protect her privacy. “If the Prime Minister truly believes in fighting for the rights of transgender people, his government would not have fought me for so long… actions speak louder than words,” Ms Cassar said. Speaking during a Nationalist Party activity in Għargħur on Thursday evening, Dr Gonzi said the PN would introduce legislation regulating gender identity in the next legislature. He said there was a void in the law on the subject that had to be addressed but did not...