Blog: Why reform of the Gender Recognition Act is essential

Just for a little while during lockdown, the cacophony from UK’s anti-trans media quietened. A few weeks without a scare-mongering headline or ill-informed comment piece was a little respite for a community battle weary from the ceaseless task of defending the most human of rights – our right to be valid, our right to be men, to be women or to be free from the binary. Then came along JK Rowling (15 million Twitter followers) and government minister Liz Truss. What would unite the Harry Potter scribe and Boris Johnson’s choice for minister for equalities? Well, the answer is seemingly an aversion to rights for transgender people like me. JK Rowling decided in the middle of Black Lives Matter campaigns to tweet her objections on the term ‘people who menstruate’ – an entirely accurate term that is inclusive of women and trans men. That came on the back of her expressing support for a gender critical employment tribunal claimant who believed they had the right to misgender trans people. The judge in the case, by contrast, said their views were not worthy of respect in a democratic society. Liz Truss, however, is a real and present danger to trans rights if the leaks from her department about the overdue reforms to the Gender Recognition Act are true. Not only are the reforms apparently not going to be implemented, but the government may be considering weakening rights that are already in place. This, despite an overwhelming 70% of respondents to the consultation suppo...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article LGBT members transgender discrimination Source Type: news