‘Who do Pavlos Marinakis, Adonis Georgiadis, Antonis Samaras and Aris Portosalte think they are to decide which genders exist and how many there are?’ New Left asked.

‘Antonis Samaras gives the orders, Adonis Georgiadis removes options from the EOPYY platform, Pavlos Marinakis assures us that “under this government” there will remain only two genders, while today Aris Portosalte went a step further, attempting to pathologise gender identity with the phrase: “Anyone who has an issue with their gender goes to their psychiatrist”.’

The party said that ‘in their attempt to pander to the most conservative and regressive reflexes in society, they do not hesitate to turn the lives of trans, intersex and non-binary people, as well as the universal human right to healthcare, into an arena for an internal competition over who can position themselves further to the right’.

‘The government’s role is not to decide which people are allowed to exist. It is to ensure that everyone has equal access to medicines, public services and healthcare, without discrimination,’ the party concluded.

New Left’s statement in full:

‘Who do Pavlos Marinakis, Adonis Georgiadis, Antonis Samaras and Aris Portosalte think they are to decide which genders exist and how many there are? Antonis Samaras gives the orders, Adonis Georgiadis removes options from the EOPYY platform, Pavlos Marinakis assures us that “under this government” there will remain only two genders, while today Aris Portosalte went a step further, attempting to pathologise gender identity with the phrase: “Anyone who has an issue with their gender goes to their psychiatrist”.

In their attempt to pander to the most conservative and regressive reflexes in society, they do not hesitate to turn the lives of trans, intersex and non-binary people, as well as the universal human right to healthcare, into an arena for an internal competition over who can position themselves further to the right.

We would, however, like to remind the gentlemen above that rights and inclusive policies are not “à la carte”. The government’s role is not to invoke human rights when it suits it and abandon them when they do not bring in votes or when it needs to outflank its political opponents.

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community face discrimination, exclusion, violence and poverty every day. This violence is intensified when even supposedly self-evident and free access to healthcare is made conditional on outdated notions of gender identity and is restricted even further.

In the face of the normalisation of the far right, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and all forms of exclusion, we will respond with equality, inclusion and social emancipation.

In the face of attempts at institutional and social regression, our response is clear: the rights of trans, intersex and non-binary people are human rights. Equality has no asterisks, dignity has no conditions and healthcare is a right for everyone.

No government official or commentator will decide how many genders there are or what they are. The government’s role is not to decide which people are allowed to exist. It is to ensure that everyone has equal access to medicines, public services and healthcare, without discrimination.’

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