Congress Paper Abstract

Fifteen years of nationwide psycho-social self-help for transsexuals, transgenders and their family in the Netherlands: a historical survey of the working groep

Mrs Petra C. Klene, Policy Officer ’Transsexualism’ and Social Worker. Humanitas Working GroupTranssexualism - Gender Dysphoria 

Email: Gert Master & Petra Klene <kle-mast@wxs.nl>

In 1983 Petra assumed supervision of a modest group of transsexuals of either sex who did not feel conformable in mixed groups of transvestites and transsexuals.

A squat in Amsterdam was the first alternative accommodation. It was a conscious counter-flow against the pressuring medical and psycho-social hegemony in the regular assistance sector which, when it came to the genuinely essential matters, such as psycho-social assistance during the real-life test, more or less backed out. Assistance was provided by the nationwide Humanitas organization, which employed volunteers, ex-transsexuals and their partners and parents, and is largely financed by the government.

A close working relationship grew up with the Gender Team of the Free University of Amsterdam. During the past 15 years we have, in line with our emancipation policy for transsexuals, been responsible for a stream of publicity in Dutch society about transsexualism. From a position of total obscurity, transsexualism has acquired a measure of tolerance in the Netherlands.

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