Marina Galanou

Marina Galanou (died 8 October 2021)[1] was a Greek trans activist, publisher, writer, and columnist.

Early life

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Galanou was born in Piraeus, in the city quarter of Piraiki, Greece.[2] She was an active participant in LGBTI activism from 1997 until her death.[3]

Activism

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Prompted by the daily persecution of trans people by the police in 2002, Galanou together with other trans persons took the initiative of establishing the first recognized trans collective in Greece, the Association for Solidarity for Transvestites and Transsexual People (SATTE).[4][5][6] Galanou was a founding member of SATTE and a Secretary General until July 2004 when she left. As a Secretary General, her action focused on the protection of trans persons from discrimination and racist violence, the protection of trans women from police arbitrariness and the legal recognition of gender identity in line of the then recent jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) (Goodwin v. U.K.)

In June 2004, she resigned from her post as a Secretary General of SATTE and on 17 July of the same year she established the first publishing house – named Colourful Planet – and bookshop specialising in LGBTI literature.[7][8] The purpose of Colourful Planet is the publication of books focused on LGBTI issues and the collection of bibliography, as well as the promotion of LGBTI culture and diversity. Colourful Planet has also run two poetry and prose competitions as well as many book presentations.

Galanou was also a member of the Greek Homosexual Community, an organization for the defence of fundamental rights of LGBTI persons. She was Secretary General of the organization between May 2006 and April 2008. Her activities focused on the protection of LGBTI persons from discrimination, with particular emphasis on the rights of LGBTI refugees, exclusion from Blood donations and Human Rights Violations in general.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

In 2009 and following the dissolution of SATTE, Galanou took the initiative for the creation of a recognized trans collective in Greece. This was achieved in May 2010, with the establishment of the Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA).[15][16] Galanou was the GTSA president until now. Her actions focused on claiming fundamental human rights on grounds of expression, identity and gender characteristics – and primarily on racist violence,[17] abolition of hate speech,[18] combatting police arbitrariness,[19] abolishing discrimination,[20] legal recognition of gender identity,[21] supporting sex workers’ rights,[22] prisoners’ rights[23][24] and refugee rights.[25] Her actions also focused more broadly in the limitation of Prejudices and Stereotypes on grounds of gender, expression, gender identity and characteristics.

Galanou was a Council of Europe expert, and she participated in this capacity in the first special seminar for the Greek Police on issues regarding combating hate crime on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity,[26] in an international seminar on issues of LGBTI asylum that took place in Athens Bar Association, in two special seminars for asylum case workers.[27][28] In this capacity, she was also advisory member of the Special Legislative Preparatory Committee for the drafting of a bill on legal recognition of gender identity between March and June 2017.[29]

Galanou wrote articles for newspapers and websites such as Amagi,[30] Epohi,[31][32][33][34][35] Avgi,[36][37][38][39] and Editors’ Newspaper (efsyn),[40] and has given interviews to many media.[41][42][43][44] She participated in many conferences on human rights issues and Greek, European and international scientific seminars and conferences.

She participated in videos directed by Christos Dimas for the play Partali by Theodoros Gregoriades.

She was also a writer of books on issues of fundamental rights and owner of t-zine, a web magazine for trans rights.[45]

Galanou believed in interdisciplinary feminism that cannot but include the rights of LGBTI persons, non-binary and in general all gender fluid persons, sex workers, refugees, prisoners and in general of all repressed minorities and people living in poverty.

Books

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  • 2014, «Gender identity and expression. Definitions, stereotypes, discrimination and myths», Transgender Support Association.[46]
  • «I am trans – I know my rights», Transgender Support Association.[47]
  • 2018, «Gender identity and expression. Definitions, stereotypes, discrimination and myths», Revised and extended re-edition, efsyn newspaper.[48]

Participation in collective publications

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2017, Recognizing gender identity: In view of Bill (prepared) by the Ministry of Justice Legislative Preparatory Committee, Sakkoulas Publishing House, Writers: Efi Kounougeri-Manoledaki, Lina Papadopoulou, Katerina Foudedaki, Marina Galanou, Stavros P. Boufidis, Georgios Sarlis [Series: Publications of Medical Law and Bioethics – Issue. 27, Directors of Series: M. Kaiafa-Gbandi, Ε. Kounougeri-Manoledaki, Ε. Symeonidou-Kastanidou].[49]

TV interviews

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Interview by Marina Galanou and Anna Apergi in George Kouvaras show, Evening Report of Action24 channel.[50]

References

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  1. ^ "Πέθανε η ακτιβίστρια και πρόεδρος του Σωματείου Υποστήριξης Διεμφυλικών Μαρίνα Γαλανού | LiFO". www.lifo.gr (in Greek). 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Marina Galanou – The activist and president of the Transgender Support Association has died". Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Marina Galanou – The activist and president of the Transgender Support Association has died". Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Protestation by representatives of Association for Solidarity for Transvestites and Transsexual People to the Minister of Public Order (in Greek)". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Metro Magazine, February 2004, Tina Ligdopoulou, "Homosexuality and Rainbow power"". 27 October 2004. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  6. ^ "SATTE: Letter to the Minister of Public Order, Mr N. Kaklamanis (in Greek)". Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Biblionet Colourful Planet". Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Report on Colourful Bookshop, 10% Magazine, by Peris Apostolakis". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Undeliverable letters, About the "Homosexual" Movement, by Marina Galanou". 18 July 2006. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Undeliverable letters, About the "Homosexual" Movement, sequel by Marina Galanou". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  11. ^ "No to the deportation of Iranian gays to Iran". 24 October 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Deportation to sure hell, Eleftheros Typos newspaper, by Katerina Hteneli". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  13. ^ "A first victory, 31 March 2008". 31 March 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  14. ^ "End of an era". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Transgender Support Association (GTSA) Ιστοσελίδα Σωματείου Υποστήριξης Διεμφυλικών". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Transgender Support Association (GTSA) Ιστοσελίδα Σωματείου Υποστήριξης Διεμφυλικών". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Gender identity in new anti-racist law". 10 September 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Gender identity added in hate crime legislation". 7 March 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  19. ^ "Gender identity added in hate speech law". 7 March 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  20. ^ "GTSA positions on anti-discrimination legislation". 11 July 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  21. ^ "GTSA welcomes adoption of law on legal recognition of gender identity and continues the fight for its improvement". 10 October 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  22. ^ "GTSA on sex work". 26 April 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  23. ^ "Οbservations – proposals by GTSA on the Correctional Code". 30 October 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  24. ^ "International Action and Solidarity Day for Trans Prisoners". 21 January 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  25. ^ "International Day For Refugee Rights". 20 June 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  26. ^ "GTSA representative participation in first specialist seminar to the Greek Police". 2 November 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  27. ^ "GTSA representative participation in information seminar for Asylum Service case workers". 30 June 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  28. ^ "GTSA representative participation in information seminar for Asylum Service case workers on LGBTI issues". 30 June 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  29. ^ "Μarina Galanou, President of Greek Transgender Support Association, activist and advisory member of legislative preparatory committee explains who is included in bill on legal recognition of gender identity, VICE magazine, by Anna Nini". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  30. ^ "Articles by Marina Galanou in Amagi website". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  31. ^ "A wind of more freedom, "Εpohi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 12 July 2016". 13 July 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  32. ^ "Trans persons: from stigma to recognition από το στίγμα στην αναγνώριση, "Εpohi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 20 November 2016". 25 November 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  33. ^ "Legal Recognition of Gender Identity from a thousand waves, "Εpohi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 24 September 2017". 2 October 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  34. ^ "A first evaluation of the judicial implementation of legal recognition of gender identity, "Εpohi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 8 April 2018". 12 April 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  35. ^ "Trans, lives at risk, "Εpohi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 1 June 2015". 2 June 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  36. ^ "Gender Identity: From Prejudice to Integration, "Avgi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 31 March 2013". Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  37. ^ "On the change of documents of trans persons, "Avgi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 11 Αpril 2013". Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  38. ^ ""Faggot", "to screw with", "traveli". A debate for reclaiming insulting terms, use of reclaimed words as "reversed speech", regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, "Avgi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 23 February 2014". 23 February 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  39. ^ "Stonewall: 44 years later, "Avgi" newspaper, by Marina Galanou, 9 June 2013". 9 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  40. ^ "Who arms them, "efsyn", by Marina Galanou, 23 October 2017". Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  41. ^ ""Intense work 'softens our conscience'", Interview with Marina Galanou". 9 June 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  42. ^ "Diversity is wealth not a problem, Interview with Marina Galanou". 4 June 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  43. ^ "«I would like a society where trans will be dealt with as humans. I hope you want it too. Interview with Marina Galanou". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  44. ^ ""Racism is not a metaphysical concept", Interview with Marina Galanou". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  45. ^ "Web-based magazine t-zine". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  46. ^ ""Gender identity and expression. Definitions, stereotypes, discrimination and myths", Transgender Support Association". 12 November 2016. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  47. ^ ""I am trans – I know my rights", Transgender Support Association". 7 May 2016. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  48. ^ ""Gender identity and expression. Definitions, stereotypes, discrimination and myths", Revised and extended re-edition, efsyn newspaper, 2018". Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  49. ^ "Recognising gender identity: In view of Bill (prepared) by the Ministry of Justice Legislative Preparatory Committee, Sakkoulas Publishing House, 2017, Writers: Efi Kounougeri-Manoledaki, Lina Papadopoulou, Katerina Foudedaki, Marina Galanou, Stavros P. Boufidis, Georgios Sarlis [Series: Publications of Medical Law and Bioethics – Issue. 27, Directors of Series: M. Kaiafa-Gbandi, Ε. Kounougeri-Manoledaki, Ε. Symeonidou-Kastanidou]". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  50. ^ "Interview by Marina Galanou and Anna Apergi in George Kouvaras show, Evening Report of Action24 channel". YouTube. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
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