This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54246686
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Changes to gender recognition laws ruled out | Changes to gender recognition laws ruled out |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ministers have ruled out changes to make it easier for transgender people in England and Wales to have their gender legally recognised. | Ministers have ruled out changes to make it easier for transgender people in England and Wales to have their gender legally recognised. |
| They have rejected calls for people to be able to self-identify their gender and change their birth certificates without a medical diagnosis. | They have rejected calls for people to be able to self-identify their gender and change their birth certificates without a medical diagnosis. |
| Ministers said reform of the 2004 Gender Recognition Act was not the "top priority" for trans people. | Ministers said reform of the 2004 Gender Recognition Act was not the "top priority" for trans people. |
| Equality campaigners said it showed a "shocking failure of leadership". | Equality campaigners said it showed a "shocking failure of leadership". |
| But women's rights groups applauded the decision as a "victory for fairness and common sense". | But women's rights groups applauded the decision as a "victory for fairness and common sense". |
| Ministers are pledging action to make it easier for trans people to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate and to improve healthcare services for them. | Ministers are pledging action to make it easier for trans people to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate and to improve healthcare services for them. |
| But LGBT groups had urged them to go much further, by making it easier for people to legally transition from their birth sex and to provide greater protection under the law. | But LGBT groups had urged them to go much further, by making it easier for people to legally transition from their birth sex and to provide greater protection under the law. |
| Currently, the Gender Recognition Act requires trans people to go through a long process in order to change their birth certificates. | Currently, the Gender Recognition Act requires trans people to go through a long process in order to change their birth certificates. |
| A "self-ID" process, allowing changes to birth certificates without a medical diagnosis, was one of the ideas put forward in a consultation undertaken by the last Conservative government, led by Theresa May. | A "self-ID" process, allowing changes to birth certificates without a medical diagnosis, was one of the ideas put forward in a consultation undertaken by the last Conservative government, led by Theresa May. |
| Of the 102,818 responses received, 64% said there should not be a requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in the future, on the grounds that being trans was neither a medical nor a mental health issue. | Of the 102,818 responses received, 64% said there should not be a requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in the future, on the grounds that being trans was neither a medical nor a mental health issue. |
| But, in a statement, Equalities Minister Liz Truss said she believed the law as it stood provided the right "checks and balances". | But, in a statement, Equalities Minister Liz Truss said she believed the law as it stood provided the right "checks and balances". |
| "We want transgender people to be free to live and to prosper in a modern Britain," she said. | "We want transgender people to be free to live and to prosper in a modern Britain," she said. |
| "It is the government's view that the balance struck in this legislation is correct, in that there are proper checks and balances in the system and also support for people who want to change their legal sex. | "It is the government's view that the balance struck in this legislation is correct, in that there are proper checks and balances in the system and also support for people who want to change their legal sex. |
| "We have also come to understand that gender recognition reform, though supported in the consultation undertaken by the last government, is not the top priority for transgender people." | "We have also come to understand that gender recognition reform, though supported in the consultation undertaken by the last government, is not the top priority for transgender people." |
| She said the 2010 Equality Act, landmark legislation passed towards the end of the last Labour government, "clearly protects" transgender people from discrimination while allowing service providers to restrict access to single sex spaces on the basis of biological sex if there is a clear justification. | She said the 2010 Equality Act, landmark legislation passed towards the end of the last Labour government, "clearly protects" transgender people from discrimination while allowing service providers to restrict access to single sex spaces on the basis of biological sex if there is a clear justification. |
| Kinder process | Kinder process |
| The government is pledging to cut the time involved in applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate, making the process "kinder and more straightforward", as well as reducing the £140 cost to a "nominal" amount. | |
| And it is also promising to cut waiting times at NHS gender clinics. | And it is also promising to cut waiting times at NHS gender clinics. |
| But Stonewall said the "minimal administrative" changes being proposed were totally inadequate. | But Stonewall said the "minimal administrative" changes being proposed were totally inadequate. |
| "While these moves will make the current process less costly and bureaucratic, they don't go anywhere near far enough toward meaningfully reforming the Act to make it easier for all trans people to go about their daily life," said the organisation's chief executive Nancy Kelley. | "While these moves will make the current process less costly and bureaucratic, they don't go anywhere near far enough toward meaningfully reforming the Act to make it easier for all trans people to go about their daily life," said the organisation's chief executive Nancy Kelley. |
| "Reforming the Act could have brought England and Wales in line with our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland, who have had a de-medicalised, self-determination system for gender recognition since 2015 without any problematic repercussions." | "Reforming the Act could have brought England and Wales in line with our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland, who have had a de-medicalised, self-determination system for gender recognition since 2015 without any problematic repercussions." |
| Fair Play for Women, a group committed to defending the sex-based rights of women, said Ms Truss had made the right decision. | Fair Play for Women, a group committed to defending the sex-based rights of women, said Ms Truss had made the right decision. |
| It said the government had "acknowledged women are stakeholders too and policies must fairly balance the conflicting rights of trans people and women". | It said the government had "acknowledged women are stakeholders too and policies must fairly balance the conflicting rights of trans people and women". |
| "Trans people in the UK have some of the strongest legal protections in the world. That does not change today." | "Trans people in the UK have some of the strongest legal protections in the world. That does not change today." |
| In Scotland, plans that would have allowed trans people to self-identify have been put on hold following criticism from across the political spectrum, including from within the SNP. | In Scotland, plans that would have allowed trans people to self-identify have been put on hold following criticism from across the political spectrum, including from within the SNP. |
| A draft bill published by the Scottish government in December would have removed the requirement for people to provide medical evidence of their diagnosis of gender dysphoria. | A draft bill published by the Scottish government in December would have removed the requirement for people to provide medical evidence of their diagnosis of gender dysphoria. |
| No change is now expected before next year's Holyrood elections although Scottish minsters say they remain "committed" to updating the law so people can get a gender recognition certificate without "unnecessary stress". | No change is now expected before next year's Holyrood elections although Scottish minsters say they remain "committed" to updating the law so people can get a gender recognition certificate without "unnecessary stress". |