Public Statement "Rights Side" human rights NGO public statement regarding discrimination against two trans people

On September 3, 2019, the “Rights Side” human rights NGO received a complaint from two trans people about discrimination, violation of consumer rights, restriction of the right to freedom of movement, and degrading treatment by gym employees in one of Yerevan’s gyms.

In August of this year, RA citizens M.S. and N.A. were banned from using the gym’s services by gym employees, on the “ground” that they were trans people, which was directly stated by M.S. and N.A. The employees mocked, insulted, humiliated M.S. and N.A., suspended their gym membership, and banned them from entering the gym.

During a telephone conversation with Lilit Martirosyan, the president of the “Rights Side” human rights NGO, L., who introduced himself as the director of the sports club, G. confirmed the discriminatory attitude of his employees towards trans people, about which there is a recording. The latter also noted with surprise whether Martirosyan had seen the appearance of these people and whether it was normal. In his words: “normal Armenian men were embarrassed by the presence of trans people, because it was not clear whether the person was a boy or a girl.

Men with breasts come in, you don’t know who to give the key to the locker room to.” As a director, he prefers that such people do not visit the gym than to deprive themselves of other “normal” customers.

Based on the above, the “Iravunki Kokhm” human rights NGO sent a request to the director of the gym, demanding to clarify on what legal acts the director of the gym banned the entry of M. S. and N.A., canceling the subscriptions already purchased by the latter.

The “Rights Side” human rights NGO qualifies such actions by the gym staff as discrimination and condemns such treatment of trans people.

Trans people are still not protected from discriminatory manifestations by the RA legislation, since the RA legislation does not regulate the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender identity and self-expression. The “Rights Side” human rights NGO will apply to the means provided for by law, including the RA judicial bodies, in order to restore the rights of the victims.