An interesting new United Nations report on the role of women and gender in the global counter-terror war has come to some interesting — and concerning — conclusions about the plight of the global transgendered.

Indeed, the report — Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms While Countering Terrorism — specifically notes that transgendered and inter-sexed folks are at high risk for violence and exploitation due to the stringent security measures used to prevent terror.

The report, by noted International Law Professor Martin Sheinin, concludes that because security personnel regularly seek out men “dressed as women” as potential terrorists, soldiers often target all men in female clothing — including those who do so as part of their gender identity. This is particularly the case in Middle Eastern/Islamic nations — or against Middle Eastern/Islamic people.

“Enhanced immigration controls that focus attention on male bombers who may be dressing as females to avoid scrutiny make transgender persons susceptible to increased harassment and suspicion,” the report says.

Additionally, because of stringent security measures, people in high-terror zones can are at risk of harassment if the gender on their official IDs does not fully correspond to their physical appearance (which, of course, often happens right here in the USA).

Again, Scheinin writes: “counter-terrorism measures that involve increased travel document security, such as stricter procedures for issuing, changing and verifying identity documents, risk unduly penalizing transgender persons whose personal appearance and data are subject to change.”

“This,” he claims, “jeopardizes the right of persons of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities to recognition before the law”

Although the UN has lots of work ahead of it to ensure compliance, Scheinin’s report insists transgender folks must not be sought out for unfair harassment/inspection and that increased sensitivity must be put in place to ensure their safety.

UN member states have an obligation to ensure that all ID cards, passports, and other such documents that indicate whether the bearer is male or female “reflect the person’s profound self-defined gender identity” – in other words, that citizens be allowed to choose whether they wish to be male or female and to change their ID in accordance, Scheinin concluded.

The Finnish professor also singled out the use of “emasculating” pronouns during interrogation as another way security authorities are targeting the gender-ambiguous. Sheinin spent six months working on the report — which was completed in August but is only now receiving national attention.

With its overall focus on gender, the UN report also placed a strong priority on ensuring the rights and safety of women caught in the counter-terror battle — a stance heavily blasted by conservatives as politically correct BS.

“It strikes me as a parody of U.N. political correctness and sexual universality,” Frank Gaffney, founder and president of the Center for Security Policy. “I find this truly absurd and appalling.”

Whatever.

As for us, we hope the new report helps reduce harassment for both the transgendered and all at-risk civilians in the seemingly never-ending battle to end world terror.