News media need to learn how to report respectfully and accurately about trans people, so the Malaysian trans advocacy group Justice for Sisters analyzed media coverage of the February 2017 murder of the Malaysian trans woman Sameera. Continue reading
A Malaysian appeals court has overturned a High Court ruling that would have allowed a trans man to change the name and gender on his national identity card. The trans advocacy group Justice for Sisters called the decision ignorant and appalling. Continue reading
Recent weeks have seen advances for trans people in Ukraine and Malaysia and perhaps for all LGBT people in Namibia. The news items in this recap were excerpted with slight modifications from ILGA’s LGBulleTIn round-up of the world’s LGBTI-related news and UNAIDS’s Equal Eyes: In Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the National Registration … Continue reading
The Malaysian trans advocates at Justice for Sisters on July 4 protested ongoing mistreatment of trans women in Malaysia: Justice for all regardless of gender identity Justice for Sisters is appalled by the news of a trans woman who was fined RM 700 [US $175] on June 21 for failing to produce her identification card. … Continue reading
Malaysian police in recent weeks launched a wave of raids and 21 arrests targeting trans women. The police actions came in the wake of a court ruling that overturned limited legal protection for trans women against repressive aspects of local sharia law. The Malaysian trans advocacy organization Justice for Sisters stated today: Violence against trans … Continue reading
Back to square one for transgenders as Federal Court overturns landmark ruling on Shariah law That was how the Malay Mail Online summed up today’s court reversal for trans women. As the New Straits Times reported: PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has reversed a Court of Appeal declaration of unconstitutionality against Negri Sembilan’s anti-cross-dressing law for … Continue reading
The Federal Court in Putrajaya, Malaysia, is scheduled to announce a preliminary decision Oct. 8 in a case involving a state-level sharia law (Syariah law) that makes cross-dressing a crime for Muslim men. An appellate court ruled in 2014 that the law, which only applies in Negeri Sembilan state, is invalid. Negeri Sembilan appealed to … Continue reading
By Ruby Pratka Transgender people in Malaysia may soon have fewer legal barriers to expressing their gender freely, thanks to a recent ruling in a state appeals court. The Malaysia Court of Appeal in the city of Putrajaya ruled last month that three trans women were not bound by legal prohibitions on “impersonating” someone of … Continue reading
The Jakarta Globe in Indonesia reported today: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — A Malaysian court on Friday gave transgender Muslims the right to cross-dress in a landmark decision overturning an Islamic law ban that could trigger similar challenges. Muslim-majority Malaysia represents itself as the global face of moderate Islam, but at home it has experienced a … Continue reading
Their ordeal isn’t over, but 16 transgender women arrested June 8 for allegedly violating the Malaysian syariah (sharia) law against “men posing as women” expressed deep gratitude for an outpouring of support for their cause. After Justice for Sisters, an organization supporting LGBT rights in Malaysia, sought contributions of RM 24,000 [US $7,484] to pay … Continue reading
