Maria Munir

Maria Munir (/ˈmɑːriə/ MAHR-ee-ə) is a public speaker and human rights defender who speaks out on a range of discrimination issues, including transgender rights and non-binary discrimination.[1] Munir is known for their campaign to encourage governments to implement policies that do not discriminate against non-binary people.[2]

Maria Munir
Born
Watford, UK
NationalityBritish
EducationBA (Hons) Politics with International Relations, University of York, 2016
OccupationPublic speaker/activist
Known forComing out to Obama as non-binary and work on human rights
Websitewww.mariamunir.com

Activism

Non-binary rights

In April 2016, Munir came out as non-binary on live television at a question and answer session with former US President Barack Obama during his state visit to the United Kingdom. The decision to declare their non-binary identity publicly gained significant media discussion of non-binary rights and Munir was interviewed about their views on the subject by The Guardian, Channel 4, The Telegraph and others.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Munir campaigns to raise awareness of the meaning of identifying as non-binary, and campaigns for their rights. In a 2016 interview, Munir said: "At university I came across the idea of being non-binary, and straight away I knew that's me." [9]

Munir has campaigned so that the UK Equality Act 2010 extend its provisions to non-binary individuals. Approximately 250,000 people are not recognized by this act.[10]

Facial palsy

Munir was born with unilateral facial palsy across the left side of their face.[2] They created a poster campaign highlighting the symptoms of facial palsy,[11] and worked with Fixers UK to broadcast a segment on the television program Calendar on ITV Tyne Tees about the effects of the condition,[12][13] and addressed a conference of the Royal Society of Medicine in October 2015, to an audience of paediatricians and other professionals.[14]

Political career

Munir has been an active member of the Liberal Democrats, standing as a council candidate in their home town of Watford in the May 2016 Borough Council election. They stood in the Vicarage ward, a Labour stronghold, coming fourth with 279 votes.[15] Munir campaigned for Sal Brinton's election as the Party Chair,[16] and co-wrote the Your Liberal Britain strategy for the Liberal Democrats in September 2017 with Elaine Bagshaw, Duncan Brack, Rory Freckleton, Lee Howgate, Scott Smith, and Stephen Tall.[17][18]

Awards

In 2016 Munir was shortlisted for the Christine Jackson award by the advocacy group Liberty (advocacy group) for their work highlighting the inequality which exists in UK law relating to non-binary people.[19][10] They were also named as one of 8 Girls' Champions as part of the BBC's 100 Women series.[20][21]

In October 2018 Munir was awarded La Médaille du Barreau by L’Ordre des Avocats de Paris, along with other human rights advocates at the Human Rights Defenders World Summit 2018, symbolising their position as an honorary lawyer for their work.

References
  1. "Blog". Maria Munir. 2018-02-24. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  2. "Challenging Obama Was My Greatest Challenge". HuffPost UK. 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  3. Munir, Maria (2016-04-27). "Why I came out as non-binary to Barack Obama". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  4. Khomami, Nadia (24 April 2016). "I thought it's now or never, says student who came out as non-binary to Obama". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  5. Channel 4 News (2016-04-23), Maria Munir on life in non-binary, retrieved 2018-07-25
  6. "Transgender campaigner calls out Barack Obama on LGBTQ progress". The Independent. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  7. "Obama hears youth leaders' concerns about LGBT rights, Brexit at British town hall | The Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  8. Mullin, Gemma (2016-04-23). "Brave gender equality campaigner reveals deeply personal secret to Barack Obama". mirror. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  9. Ailes, Emma (2016-04-23). "My moment with Barack Obama". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  10. Banks, Elliott (2016-10-22). "York student shortlisted for human rights award". Nouse. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  11. "Facial Palsy Awareness". www.fixers.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  12. Fixers UK (2014-06-06), Fixers Facial Palsy Story on ITV News Calendar, June 2014, retrieved 2018-05-21
  13. Fixers UK (2014-06-23), Fixers Facial Palsy Story on ITV News Tyne Tees, June 2014, retrieved 2018-05-21
  14. "Patients and families as the new educators". www.rsm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  15. "Watford Borough Ward 2016 results". www.watford.gov.uk. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  16. "Supporters". Sal Brinton. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  17. "Writing our Vision Statement | Your Liberal Britain". liberalbritain.org. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  18. "Liberal Britatin Your Vision for Liberal Britain" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  19. sarahdaly (2016-10-13). "Human Rights Awards 2016: Shortlist". Liberty Human Rights. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  20. "Maria Munir chosen as Girls' Champion for BBC's 100 Women". Liberal Democrat Voice. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  21. "About". Maria Munir. 2014-05-26. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
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