SEVERAL HUNDRED people attended a rally at Leinster House today calling for full legal recognition for transgender people.

The rally, organised by a coalition of representative groups, saw campaigners call for legislation that would allow what a person considers to be their true gender – and not merely the sex they were born with – to be recognised in law.

The rally was timed to coincide with the European regional conference of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, which takes place in Dublin this week.

Many representatives from that group, from across Europe, attended today’s demonstration, which also marked the fifth anniversary of the High Court’s landmark ruling in the Foy case, which found Ireland to be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights by not recognising a person’s changed gender.

Trans* Education and Advocacy (TEA) organiser, Cat McIlroy, said the attendance at today’s rally showed “a growing awareness of trans experiences in Ireland”.

McIlroy added that the rally highlighted frustration with Social Protection minister Joan Burton, who has promised to introduce legislation recognising a person’s acquired gender but has yet to do so.

All photos below by Sasko Lazarov of Photocall Ireland.