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The European Court of Human Rights ruled July 6 Russia violated the rights of a transgender woman who authorities did not allow to visit her children because of her gender identity.
A press release that Transgender Europe and ILGA-Europe issued says Moscow authorities “prevented” the woman “from having contact with her children because of her gender identity and transition.”
The Transgender Europe and ILGA-Europe press release notes Russian courts defended the decision to restrict the woman’s parental rights because any contact with a parent who is trans would have had a “negative impact on the mental health and psychological development” of her children. The European Court of Human Rights specifically ruled Russia violated Articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights that guarantee a person has the “right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence” and the “prohibition of discrimination” respectively.
“The kids are alright — there is nothing wrong with being a trans parent,” said Transgender Europe Executive Director Masen Davis. “Today, we celebrate this important message together with all trans families. Every fourth trans person in Europe is a parent. Today’s judgement gives legal security to many of them. We congratulate the applicant for having gone all the way to Strasbourg to defend her right to be the best possible parent to her children.”
ILGA-Europe Executive Director Evelyne Paradis echoed Davis.
“Too often we are hearing the best interest of the child being abused as an argument to limit the rights of LGBTI people,” said Paradis. “We are glad to see the court clearly rejecting such an abusive argument, and instead naming very concrete responsibilities for state authorities in ensuring the best interest of the child. Spreading hatred, misinformation and splitting loving parents from their children is not in the best interest of children.”
The press release notes the ruling is the first time the European Court of Human Rights has used Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights in a decision about discrimination based on gender identity. The ruling also underscores the lack of legal protections and rampant discrimination that LGBTQ Russians continue to face.
Marina and her then-girlfriend in 2015 fled their home Russia with the child they were raising together and asked for asylum in the U.S. as a family.
“If the government knows that I have an LGBT family, like two women and a child, they can take my daughter away,” Marina told the Washington Blade earlier this year during a telephone interview from Guam where she and her child continue to wait for a decision in their case.
Marina’s child has come out as trans and has begun to transition.
