For ‘International Day of Transgender Visibility’ on 31 March, online publication Mamamia published a series of articles examining the reality of the trans experience in Australia. The articles explore first hand accounts of what it is like to come out as trans, what it’s like to live as a trans person in Australia, and lastly the changes that trans people want to see in Australia.

This week, news.com.au ran a piece titled “Female sex attacker’s horror demand”, with the byline, “A woman has been thrown behind bars after sexually assaulting a stranger she followed down a Melbourne Street before issuing a shocking demand.”

Do transwomen (i.e. biological males) have a right to become pregnant? This somewhat dystopic question continues to be explored, most recently in a Letter to the Editor published in peer reviewed journal Acta Biomedica. Its authors are two Italian academics from the Sapienza University of Rome, who say that the speed of scientific innovation requires us to address this question.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has released its first position statement on gender dysphoria, titled “Recognising and addressing the mental health needs of people experiencing gender dysphoria/gender incongruence”.

The state netball championships held in Brisbane last week attracted attention and controversy for all the wrong reasons. This was because the grand final was won by the Queensland Suns U17s team, an all boys’ team, who decimated the Bond University Bull Sharks girls’ team 46-12.

As more girls and young women present to gender clinics with gender dysphoria, serious legal questions are being raised about their treatment. And It seems that Australian doctors could find themselves in hot water if they follow the “affirmative model” of care favoured by trans advocates. As international trends veer away from this model and as “de-transitioners” − many of them women − come forward willing to sue for misdiagnosis, Australian doctors now have legal, as well as medical, dilemmas to resolve. 

More and more questions continue to be asked about the ethics of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgical treatment for transgender patients. At the same time, stories continue to surface about those who regret using these controversial methods to address their gender dysphoria.

By Rachael Wong 

The Courier Mail has published a piece about women who identify as men in Queensland and the “discrimination” they face when it comes to language, policies and procedures while pregnant, giving birth or raising children.

By Rachael Wong

Eight peak Australian sporting bodies have released guidelines for the inclusion of transgender athletes. They are AFL, Hockey Australia, Netball Australia, Rugby Australia, Tennis Australia, Touch Football Australia, UniSport Australia and Water Polo Australia.

By Rachael Wong

Australia’s biggest gender clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne has asked for more public money to start double mastectomies on girls under 17 who identify as male.