On Wednesday, the LGBT+ Network at Leiden University organized the first of hopefully a long series of Pride Talks, featuring the Honorable Judge Michael Kirby who flew in from Australia, and LUMC Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Law Martine de Vries. I had the pleasure of introducing Prof. de Vries. The Great Auditorium of the Academy Building was packed, and the evening a great success.
Hope for the rainbow over Asia? Recognition for the human rights of LGBTQI people in Asian countries
Michael Kirby was Australia's longest serving judge when he retired from the High Court of Australia (the nation's Federal Supreme Court) in 2009. Earlier he had served on the Federal Court of Australia, the Court of Appeal of New South Wales and of Solomon Islands (as president) and as inaugural Chairman of the Australian Law Reform Commission (1975-84). He also took part in many national and international bodies and was President of the International Commission of Jurists (1975-8). In recent years he has undertaken many tasks for the United Nations, including as a member of the WHO global commission on AIDS and the UN Human Rights Council's commission of inquiry on North Korea (2014). He has been an outspoken advocate for decriminalization of homosexuality, about which he recently spoke at the Vatican (2019), and also in a report for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (2011). He lives in Sydney Australia with his partner of 50 years, Johan van Vloten, whom he married in February 2019, on the 50th anniversary of their meeting. See also www.michaelkirby.com.au/lgbtiq
Transgender children and the right to gender-affirming treatment: (un)conditional?
Prof dr Martine C. de Vries is professor in Medical Ethics and Health Law at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), as well as pediatric endocrinologist at the same institution. Her research focuses on pediatric ethics (focus: gender dysphoria), research ethics, and the introduction of the notion of The Learning Healthcare System in daily practice. She is member of the Health Council of the Netherlands. In pediatric practice, she takes care of children with gender dysphoria and eating disorders. See also https://nl.linkedin.com/in/martine-de-vries-b7365b
