Gender Recognition Act 2004 (Important to all UK Trans People)

[Maid In Bedlam]

This will effect your future if you have not yet  been diagnoised, Have a GRA or are in the process of changing your gender markers

 

 

 

I found the FAQ's from the equlitys office regarding this important Reform to the Gender Recognition Act 2004 Very useful reading should you be just on your path to diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

 

Thank you for your correspondence about this extremely important issue. The Government believes that transgender adults should be free to live their lives as they wish, with dignity and free from discrimination. That is why we are carefully planning our next steps on reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA), so that any changes can have a positive impact on transgender adults who live in the UK. We have listened closely to all those who engaged with our consultation on the GRA, and we plan to publish our response this Summer.

We are currently dealing with an extremely high volume of enquiries about the Gender Recognition Act, the single-sex exemptions under the 2010 Equality Act and about healthcare for transgender people. The Government Equalities Office is also working with reduced capacity at the moment as many of our staff are supporting the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given this, we have produced a ‘Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)’ document to reply to correspondence on these topics.  We hope that you might find the answers to your questions in this FAQ. It is not exhaustive, and if you do not find this FAQ  helpful in answering your questions or the issues you raise, then please do contact us again. It may also be worth being aware that the Government’s response to the GRA is imminent, and you may find it helpful to consider that response before contacting us again. 

Thank you for your patience.

Kind regards,

 

Government Equalities Office. 

FAQs

Gender Recognition Act

 

1. When will the Government publish its response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation?

We intend to publish our response to the consultation before Summer Recess, which begins on 21 July 2020. 

1. What changes will the Government be making to the Gender Recognition Act 2004?
   Changes to the Gender Recognition Act 2004 are intended to make the process of applying for a gender recognition certificate less bureaucratic. The exact details of what this entails will be published in our response.
2. The Minister has said that it is important to maintain “proper checks and balances” when considering reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. What does this mean? 

We believe that the process of legally changing one’s gender is a serious and legally meaningful undertaking which requires appropriate checks and a level of formality. We are carefully planning any changes to the Gender Recognition Act so that they can have a positive impact on transgender people who live in the UK, whilst remaining a serious and meaningful undertaking. 

 

Equality Act 2010 exemptions for single-sex service provision

 

1. How do the Equality Act 2010 exemptions for single-sex service provision work?
   The Equality Act requires people providing services to the public to do so without discriminating against people because of their sex or because of  their 'gender reassignment'. Exceptions in the Act alllow provision of services to one sex only (for example men’s or women’s toilets or changing rooms).
   Exceptions in the Act also allow for the exclusion of transgender people from single-sex facilities where this is necessary and proportionate .
2. The Minister for Women and Equalities recently gave evidence to the Women and Equalities Select Committee in which she referred to single-sex spaces. What did those comments mean?

During the consultation on the GRA which we ran in 2018, we asked how any changes to the act might affect women, providers of single-sex services, transgender people themselves, and other groups. Some people raised concerns that some men might misuse a gender recognition certificate to access women’s spaces to harm women.

In this context, the Secretary of State’s comments at the Women and Equalities Select Committee were intended to reiterate the importance of maintaining single-sex spaces, as provided for in the Equality Act. If any changes were to be made to the Act – as with all legislation – they would go through the appropriate processes of engagement.

1. Will the Government be amending the single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act?
   We know that some stakeholders have highlighted a desire for greater clarity from the Government about the law and guidance on single-sex spaces. We are looking into how we might provide greater clarity in this area as part of Government’s response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation. 

Healthcare for transgender people

1. What steps is the Government taking to improve healthcare for transgender people?
   This Government is committed to improving services for those undergoing gender reassignment and to challenging transphobia in the NHS. 

NHS England have funded the development of specialised training through the Royal College of Physicians’ accredited credential on trans health, aimed at encouraging medical and non-medical professionals (including nurses) to work in gender identity services.
The Government Equalities Office have appointed Dr Michael Brady, of Kings College Hospital, to be the first National LGBT Health Adviser. Dr Brady is focusing on improving the health outcomes for the LGBT population and is advising on ways to improve the care LGBT people receive when accessing the NHS and public health. 

1. Is anything being done to address the long waiting times for gender identity services?

We are aware that the current waiting times for gender identity services are unacceptable. NHS England are working to improve this by establishing a more modern and flexible care model, and by moving routine gender identity services away from specialist centres, to more local provision. 

1. Will the Government be restricting healthcare for transgender young people when it responds to the Gender Recognition Act consultation?

Healthcare for young transgender people does not fall within the scope of reform of the Gender Recognition Act. The Minister for Women and Equalities has stated, as a separate matter, that we also wish to ensure under-18s continue to be protected from taking life-changing decisions before they are capable.
We are clear that protecting young people is about ensuring the appropriate processes are in place, rather than withholding support, and we will be exploring what this means with the Department for Health and Social care who lead in this area. We are absolutely committed to making sure all young people have access to appropriate and timely psychological and medical support. The wellbeing of all young people is our priority.

The current minimum age limit for legally changing gender is 18 years, which is set out in the GRA itself, and will not be changed. 

1. I am concerned that any potential restrictions to healthcare and access to single-sex spaces will have a detrimental effect on the mental health of transgender people, and may lead to an increase in suicide attempts. What is being done to protect mental health?

We know that transgender young people are more likely to experience poor mental health than people who are not transgender. The wellbeing of all young people is our primary concern. We are taking action to improve mental healthcare for LGBT people and we are working with DHSC to develop plans for reducing suicides amongst the LGBT population.

1. Will the Minister for Women and Equalities speak to both transgender health experts and children’s rights experts before making any decisions around access to healthcare?

Yes. We are clear that protecting young people is about ensuring the appropriate processes are in place, rather than withholding support, and we will be exploring what this means with the Department for Health and Social care who lead in this area.

Detailed discussions will take place with DHSC, NHS England, DfE and other relevant experts, and more information will be available in due course.

Clinicians should continue to provide support to people accessing Gender Identity Clinics and the Gender Identity Development Service in the same way as they have done till now - based on clinical need.

1. Is the Government conducting research into the rise in the number of young people referred to the Gender Identity Development Service in recent years?
   We are aware that the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation has seen an increasing number of individuals, particularly natal born females, referred to its Gender Identity Development Service in recent years.

 

 

I doubt if anything will be discussed before summer recess as we have had Covid which has taken up most of the parlimentry time. So I wouldnt hold your breath on that one.

 

As a contiuation to this Zarah Sultana, M.P. (Labour, Coventry South) Wrote a  trans-supportive letter to Liz Truss asking distinct and hopefully difficult to deflect or avoid questions arising from the latter's speech on 22 April as Minister for Women and Equalities, in which she gave evidence to the Women and Equalities Select Committee, and set out her priorities for the Government Equalities Office

 

PG1

PG2

PG3

 

I made my stance clear on the track record of Liz Truss in another thread. I didnt want to hijack that thread so this new one was was born.