So what is the gender recognition act?

To put it incredibly simply, the Gender Recognition Act of 2004, “Trans people are able to receive legal recognition of their acquired gender through a process set out in the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004.”

According to Democratic Audit UK, the reenacted Gender Recognition Act in 2014, which was a momentous legislation, “entitled transgender (trans) individuals those who self-identify with a gender differing from their birthed assign sex, to obtain a formal acknowledgement of they’re preferred male or female identity”. The 2004 Act did not recognise non-binary gender.

The Act without a requirement for physical medical interventions, such as gender-confirming surgery or mandatory sterilisation. The UK law served as a blueprint for  reforms that followed suit in other European jurisdictions, including Spain and Portugal. In 2014 It officially recognised preferred gender (referred to as ‘acquired gender’.

Reform

In 2017 the act no longer stood as ‘best practice’ however as people from the trans and non-binary community, demanded more rights, and the Act was seen as outdated.

The Gender Recognition Act was proposed to be reformed in 2017, by the government which placed the UK as the ‘vanguard’ for championing Trans rights. The British government posted a consultation of reform of the Gender Recognition Act and found that many Trans respondents who knew about GRC’s (Governance, risk and compliance) had not applied for this because 38% said the process was too beurocratic, and 34% said it was too expensive.

Women only spaces will remain

The British governments aim is to make the experiences for Trans people better, whilst encouraging and maintaining safeguarding measures. Therefore as it stands this means existing arrangements for separate sex facilities and spaces like; gyms, changing rooms, and toilets will remain. Whilst the minimum age for legal recognition will remain at 18.

According to Gov.UK, “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.”

What people have said:

https://twitter.com/morganmpage/status/1015000032079241217

Today we published the consultation on reform of the Gender Recognition Act. We look forward to hearing your views. https://t.co/4vWuC2LxrU #EqualityBenefitsEveryone pic.twitter.com/cwbhljzPlW

— Office for Equality and Opportunity (@oeogovuk) July 3, 2018

https://twitter.com/Staircase2/status/1014473542149312514

“So all I have to do if the government changes the Gender Recognition Act is go online and sign and print and I can be in changing rooms with women and young girls? Rape crisis centres? That’s it? Lolz” …… yes. That’s it. …..men just like these … pic.twitter.com/whrlIo74wN

— Jean Hatchet (@JeanHatchet) July 2, 2018

When filling out the Gender Recognition Act Consultation and reading about the terrible things trans women suffer please think of Bethany Hill. She was killed by Kayleigh Woods who is a trans identified male. She had been tortured, bound with tape and had her throat slashed. pic.twitter.com/bY3t6H4A3i

— Jean Hatchet (@JeanHatchet) July 4, 2018

If the reform of the Gender Recognition Act is going to be the issue of the summer it might help everyone if presenters understood the difference between biological sex & gender. The difference should be central to the debate. #r4today

— Eddiewina 🇮🇱 (@butjedo) July 3, 2018

Here is the Gender Recognition Act consultation. The govt are keen that you understand it the right way. It seems to be this. “Women are pretty mean. Especially those lesbians.” https://t.co/pcSDMtKoFg

— Jean Hatchet (@JeanHatchet) July 3, 2018

https://twitter.com/pcs_proud/status/1015239226449973248

https://twitter.com/kittycorr33/status/1013792796392787969

https://twitter.com/urcrazytoo/status/1014093120697495553

I don't agree Hazik, we can all disagree about many subjects but JB isn't anti Islam. I'v bn following @bindelj's work 4 last few yrs & she is a shero. Current debate around Gender Recognition Act will affect Muslim women 2, but I haven't seen any org b as brave as Julie et al

— YOLO (@nina_mrs_mummy) April 21, 2018

What you can do

The British government have put out a consultation on the Gender Recognition Act 2004, for reform. They want to hear from you about your views on this, and ways we can work with communities side by side in harmony. The consultation will go on for 16 weeks coming to a close at 11pm on 19 October 2018. Share your perspective here.