Ruth Baldacchino
{{Short description|LGBT and intersex activist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = February 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ruth Baldacchino
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| occupation = Former ILGA Co-Secretary General;
Senior Program Officer - Intersex Human Rights Find at Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice
| known_for = LGBT rights
| website = {{url|ruthbaldacchino.com}}
}}
Ruth Baldacchino is an LGBT and intersex activist, former Co-Secretary General of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World),{{cite web |url=http://www.astraeafoundation.org/news/344/60/Introducing-the-Intersex-Fund-team-at-Astraea |title=Introducing the Intersex Fund team at Astraea! |author= |date=June 16, 2015 |publisher=Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice |access-date=2015-07-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703205803/http://www.astraeafoundation.org/news/344/60/Introducing-the-Intersex-Fund-team-at-Astraea |archive-date=July 3, 2015 }} and former Associate Director of Programs for the first intersex Human Rights Fund.
Education
Baldacchino holds an M.A. in Women's Studies from University College Dublin and a B.A. (Honours) in Sociology from University of Malta.
Activism and career
Baldacchino has previously served on the boards of the Malta Gay Rights Movement,{{cite web |url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120329/local/Milkshake-seeks-to-dismantle-taboos.413166 |title=Milkshake seeks to dismantle taboos |first1=Claudia |last1=Calleja |date=March 29, 2012 |website= |publisher= Times of Malta |access-date=2015-07-19 }} IGLYO and ILGA-Europe and also served as associate director of programs for the first intersex human rights fund.
They were a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta, where they introduced Queer Studies.{{cite web |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/arts/sociology/visiting_staff |title=Visiting Staff |date=February 4, 2015 |website= |publisher= University of Malta |access-date=2015-07-19 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810021814/https://www.um.edu.mt/arts/sociology/visiting_staff |archive-date=Aug 10, 2016 }}
Between 2014 and 2019, they served as co-secretary general of ILGA World.{{cite web |url=http://www.soginews.com/press-release-ilga-annual-report-state-sponsored-homophobia/ |title=Press Release – ILGA Annual Report on State-Sponsored Homophobia |author= |date=May 14, 2015 |website=SOGI News.com |publisher=RFSL |access-date=2015-07-19 |quote= |archive-date=July 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716004856/http://www.soginews.com/press-release-ilga-annual-report-state-sponsored-homophobia/ |url-status=dead }} Ruth served as Senior Program Officer and later as Associate Director of Programs at the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, where they led the Intersex Human Rights Fund until 2024.
Prior to joining Astraea, Baldacchino worked at the Ministry for Civil Liberties in Malta on human rights and social integration, participating in the process of developing and passing a groundbreaking Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act.{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/04/01/maltese-lawmakers-approve-cutting-edge-gender-identity-bill/ |title=Maltese lawmakers approve 'cutting-edge' gender identity bill |last1=Lavers |first1= Michael |date=April 1, 2015 |website= |publisher=Washington Blade |access-date=2015-07-19 }} They describe the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act as providing "freedom to an individual to develop, establish and express their gender, rather than having the State or the medical professionals deciding that. In other words, ... to be allowed to determine what identity fits ... best and how ... to embody that identity."{{cite web |last1=Akpınar |first1=Ömer |date=April 3, 2015 |title=Malta: "I am allowed to determine what identity fits me best" |url=http://kaosgl.org/page.php?id=19110 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625191702/http://kaosgl.org/page.php?id=19110 |archive-date=25 June 2019 |access-date=2015-07-19 |website= |publisher=Kaos GL}}
Baldacchino has also closely engaged with intersex activists, particularly through the co-facilitation and coordination of ILGA's International Intersex Forums.{{Citation| publisher = Vice |first = Mark | last = Hay | title = What Will Malta's New Intersex Law Mean for the Rest of the World?| date = April 7, 2015| url = https://www.vice.com/en/article/maltas-new-intersex-legislation-is-the-most-progressive-in-the-world-192/}} Baldacchino contributed to a 2015 national education policy on Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools.{{Citation| publisher = Ministry for Education and Employment, Malta | title = Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools: Policy| date = June 2015| url = http://education.gov.mt/en/resources/Documents/Policy%20Documents/Trans,%20Gender%20Variant%20and%20Intersex%20Students%20in%20Schools%20Policy.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210014940/https://education.gov.mt/en/resources/Documents/Policy%20Documents/Trans%2C%20Gender%20Variant%20and%20Intersex%20Students%20in%20Schools%20Policy.pdf |archive-date=Dec 10, 2022 }}
See also
References
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Category:Maltese non-binary people
Category:Intersex rights activists
Category:Transgender rights activists
Category:Intersex rights in Malta
Category:Maltese LGBTQ rights activists
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin