A pathway to diversity?: human rights, citizenship and the politics of transgender

This piece explores human rights and citizenship within the context of transgender in the UK. It examines the problems of advocating and organizing from the concept of 'human rights' in relation to transgender, and considers whether a conceptual and political framework of 'queer politics' is more fruitful for a discussion of transgender citizenship and rights. Taking the Gender Recognition Act Citation2004 as a case study, this article explores the ways in which gender is constructed and reconstructed through the notions and the practices of 'human rights' and 'citizenship'. Keywords: citizenshipGender Recognition Acthuman rightsqueer politicstransgender Additional informationNotes on contributorsSally Hines *Sally Hines is a lecturer in sociology in the School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds, UK. Her research interests fall within the areas of identity, gender, sexuality, and the body. Her work is particularly concerned with transformations in gendered, sexual and embodied identities. She is currently working as principal investigator on an Economic and Social Research Council-funded project that is exploring the impact of the Gender Recognition Act (UK, 2004) upon transgender practices of identity and intimacy. She has published articles in The Journal of Gender Studies, Sociology, Critical Social Policy and Sociological Research Online. Her recent book, TransForming Gender: Transgender Practices of Identity, Intimacy and Care, was published by Policy Press (2007). Email: s.hines@leeds.ac.uk