Irish transgender woman Lydia Foy has been short-listed for Campaigner of the Year for the highly prestigious European Diversity Awards.
Ms. Foy is one of eight nominees for the award which is seen as a major European platform for recognising campaigning work for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and society.
Dr. Foy won a High Court case in 2007 when the court ruled that her rights under the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated by the failure to recognise her in her female gender.
The government announced Heads of a Bill to recognise transpersons last month. However it has been widely criticised by the transgender community and no timetable has yet been set for bringing in legislation.
The winner and a runner-up of the awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on September 26th.
"This is a major honour for Lydia Foy and marks 20 years of struggle since she first began campaigning for recognition in her female gender in 1993”" said Michael Farrell, FLAC Senior Solicitor. Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) has represented Dr. Foy in a series of legal challenges.
"It is also a rebuke to successive Irish governments which have failed to introduce legislation to recognise transgender persons ever since the European Court of Human Rights held that this was a basic human right in 2002".
"Ireland is now the only state in the European Union that has no provision for legal recognition of transgender persons" he added.
Irish Senator David Norris has also been nominated for his long struggle for gay and lesbian rights in Ireland and elsewhere.
