FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday 8 March 2018
- Protester is arrested at the Department of Health and Social Care, London
- Trans women and their allies were peacefully protesting the Department of Health this morning to call urgent attention to the failings in the provision of healthcare for trans people.
7,000 people have pledged to go on strike today. In the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp, this is the next step in a global movement to end gendered and sexual violence.
- 2K people will meet at 1pm in Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 5BE
- 61 University campuses across UK are already on strike
- Actions in 7 cities – London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Derry and Brighton
- The UK will be one of 56 countries on strike.
Noshin Salari Rad, one of the organisers of the strike said:
“Thursday is about solidarity between all women* – trans women, women of colour, indigenous, working class, disabled, migrant, sex workers, Muslim, lesbian and queer.”
SPOKESPEOPLE:
Rosa:
“They make it very difficult for us to access any kind of trans healthcare. I had to try three different GP surgeries before they agreed to refer me to the GIC. Now it’s sixth months later and I still have over a year to wait until they even see me. Im desperate.”
Kristin
“Almost every trans person I know is severely mentally ill. It is no coincidence. It is because of the violence we face everyday, and the government is barely willing to help.”
Maxine
“The whole GIC system is a violation of our human right to healthcare”
ENDS
For more information and to arrange an interview, please contact Natalie on 07986559115, Noshin on 07842715333 or email info@womenstrike.org.uk.
