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from Gender Identity Disorders
Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association Calls For Papers To Change Religion And Laws On Transgenderism
October 25, 2004 - The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria
Association (HBIGDA) has issued a call for scholarly papers to be presented at
the XIX Biennial Symposium in Bologna, Italy in April, 2005.
The topics to be covered in these papers are 1. Promoting sexual health; 2.
Learning from other cultures; 3. Letting old paradigms die and new ones emerge;
4. Providing optimal access to health care [for transsexuals]; 5. Providing
training to allied health care professionals; 6. Promoting sound and ethical
research; 7. Ending stigma and discrimination; 8. Changing laws and social
policies; 9. Changing religious views; and 10. Promoting social tolerance and
diversity.
These 10 research paper topics were proposed by outgoing president Eli Coleman
during the last HBIGDA symposium. In 2003, Dr. Coleman blasted Dr. J. Michael
Bailey's book, The Man Who Would Be Queen as bad science and encouraged members
of HBIGDA to become more actively involved in social and political issues.
Coleman mentioned the expert testimony given by HBIGDA in a Florida custody
case* involving a transsexual father. He called upon HBIGDA to fight religious
groups that stigmatize transsexuals.
*The Florida case involved a custody battle between Linda Kantaras, represented
by the Liberty Counsel, and Michael Kantaras who had undergone a sex-change
operation before they were married. After becoming a Christian, Mrs. Kantaras
believed that her marriage was wrong. Michael eventually filed for divorce in
2002 and sued for custody of their two children. The National Center for Lesbian
Rights and Equality Florida, defended Michael in the case. HBIGDA provided
expert testimony on his behalf.
The case was eventually decided by the Second District Court and it overturned a
previous legal victory by Michael Kantaras. The court ruled that the state of
Florida does not currently recognize same-sex marriages--and thus ruled against
Kantaras.
Updated: 8 February 2008
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