On April 2 the High Court ruled in favour of Redfern resident, Norrie, that human beings could not be categorised simply in terms of male or female. The judges said it was open to the NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to register a person’s sex as “non-specific”. Norrie, SSH cartoonist as well as volunteer distributor, took some time to reflect on the significance of the case.
Over the past four years of legal process and media attention you have shown tremendous patience and persistence. What have you found most helpful for motivation and inspiration?
Making time for my regular life, so that I could survive the media attention, and so that I had a life after the caravan left. Delivering the South Sydney Herald on my bubble bike is always good grounding therapy, letting me enjoy being of simple service to everyone in my neighbourhood, giving me peace from the hungry beast, the insatiable media-go-round.
What have you found most surprising about the process?
The high level of support, drawing in Geoffrey Watson, SC, now quipping droll at ICAC, and David Bennett, QC, who was John Howard’s Solicitor General. Witnessing the judges put themselves in my position and other positions outside the binary, as they hammered home the message that the law must be for all, not just those of more common identity. And the public support, now overwhelmingly positive, when once I would have been greeted with suspicion for being sex non-specific.
The High Court judgment found in your favour that the 1995 Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act (NSW) recognised that a person’s sex may be other than male or female. Have you been told when you’ll receive (again) your identity certificate marked sex “non-specific”?
I received the certificate within a week of the High Court judgment.
The decision has implications for sex and gender diverse people throughout the country. What positive comments have you received from people in and beyond Australia? What hopes are being expressed?
Lots. But it’s not up to me to be the spokesperson for other people. There’s a new option now, let’s see what people do with it.
How did you celebrate the legal victory?
We had a gathering of about a dozen friends at Railz for pizza and champagne, my best friend proposed marriage with a ring made with his 3D printer, and I accepted. The Marriage Act may be at odds with this, but the UN’s International Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right of all persons, not just men and women, to marry and form a family. So, there may be another legal encounter, perhaps resulting in marriage equality. The things we do for love!
