Summary
We are seeking your views on how best to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
This consultation closes at
midday on 22 October 2018
Trans people are able to receive legal recognition of their acquired gender through a process set out in the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004. Since the GRA came into force, only 4,910 people have legally changed their gender. This is fewer than the number of trans respondents to the government’s LGBT survey, who were clear that they wanted legal recognition but had not applied because they found the current process too bureaucratic, expensive and intrusive. The government therefore seeks your views on how to reform the legal recognition process.
The consultation focuses on the Gender Recognition Act 2004. We are not proposing any amendments to the Equality Act 2010.
This consultation does not consider the question of whether trans people exist, whether they have the right to legally change their gender, or whether it is right for a person of any age to identify with another gender, or with no gender. Trans and non-binary people are members of our society and should be treated with respect. Trans people already have the right to legally change their gender, and there is no suggestion of this right being removed. This consultation simply asks how best government might make the existing process under the Gender Recognition Act a better service for those trans and non-binary people who wish to use it.
Please email any enquiries to: gra.consultation@geo.gov.uk
Ministerial Foreword
This Government is committed to making the United Kingdom a country that works for everyone. We want to strip away the barriers that hold people back, to create equal opportunities for people to go as far as their talent can take them. In recent years, we have made progress in tackling the barriers that transgender people face within the UK. We have introduced a £3m project to help tackle transphobic bullying in schools; we have put more money into NHS Gender Identity Services; and we have conducted one of the largest national surveys of LGBT people in the world, receiving over 14,000 responses from trans and non-binary people.
The survey, however, has shown us that there is more to do. Trans people continue to face significant barriers to full participation in public life. Reported hate crime is rising. Reported self-harm and suicide rates, particularly amongst young trans people, are extremely concerning. Trans people continue to face discrimination and stigma, in employment and in the provision of public services.
One public service that we know trans people are concerned about is the legal process for changing gender as set out in the Gender Recognition Act 2004. This Act allows an individual to get their gender legally recognised, giving them access to the legal rights of the gender they identify with and a new birth certificate issued in that gender. Many of the trans respondents to our LGBT survey said they found the current system intrusive, costly, humiliating and administratively burdensome. Whilst many trans people want legal recognition, too few are able to get it. In too many cases the current system prevents them from acquiring legal recognition of who they are, denying them the dignity and respect that comes with it. It often leaves trans people in the difficult situation of living in one gender, and holding Government issued forms of identification, credit cards, driving licence and all other documents in that gender, but a birth certificate and legal status in another.
This consultation seeks views on how the Government might make it easier for trans people to achieve legal recognition. The way this has been achieved in some other countries around the world is to remove the requirement for a medical diagnosis and to streamline other parts of the process. This is one option that the Government wishes to ask for views on but no firm decisions on our eventual approach have been taken. The legal recognition process is separate from the pathway that trans people follow to obtain medical treatment that they may wish to have, such as hormones or surgery. The questions about any removal of a requirement for a medical diagnosis in the context of this consultation is only with regard to the legal recognition process.
We also want to be clear that this is an explorative consultation and we do not have all the answers. That is why, as we consult, we are mindful of the need to engage with all perspectives. We particularly want to hear from women’s groups who we know have expressed some concerns about the implications of our proposals. To be clear – this consultation focuses on the Gender Recognition Act; we are not proposing to amend the Equality Act 2010 and the protections contained within it. We do realise, however, that there are concerns about interactions between the two Acts and we want to use this consultation as a way of gathering these views.
This consultation marks a significant step in this Government’s work to advance equality for LGBT people. Ahead of this consultation, we were pleased to announce the publication of an LGBT Action Plan outlining the further steps we are taking to tackle LGBT inequalities, and addressing many of the other issues raised in the LGBT survey. This is another important part of our work in Government to remove any barriers that might stop LGBT people from living full, happy lives as valued members of society.
We look forward to hearing your views.
The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP Secretary of State for the Department for International Development and Minister for Women and Equalities