Consortium

for stronger lgbt+ communities

Paul Roberts

UK Government Intervention on GRR(S) Bill Statement

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A resounding call must be heard by our trans communities this morning—we stand with you, now and always.

On the day the UK Government decided to intervene in the resoundingly passed Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, we will not let the culture war the UK Government wishes to stoke get in the way of what we will achieve—fair treatment of trans people across the UK.

Scotland has led the way for the UK when it comes to advancing trans equality. Trans communities are one of the most marginalised in our society today. The Scottish Government overwhelmingly passed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill after extensive consultation. Now the UK Government claims it must intervene because it has the potential to conflict with other Reserved Legislation, namely the Equality Act. To misunderstand what this new Legislation would achieve is egregious and simply a mechanism for political point scoring.

Last week, we saw a collective outcry from LGBT+, Trans and Ally organisations on news that the UK Government might intervene. Now they have done just this, our collective resolve will not falter.

Every LGBT+ person, every ally, wants every trans person to be able to live their life in safety as their true self. Just as we want every woman to be safe and free from abuse and discrimination. We do not believe these two things are in conflict, or ever have been. Trans people don’t want any more rights than anyone else, they just want equal treatment.

The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill is a simple Bill. No trans person has ever needed a Gender Recognition Certificate to be able to access the services that they need, and that will remain the case with this legislation.

We continue to urge the Prime Minister, the Scottish Secretary, and the entire Cabinet to recognise that trans people and communities must be protected and be valued citizens—not just through words, but through real and positive action.

The Scottish Parliament has sent a clear message of commitment to this through the GRR(S) Bill, with amendments being accepted by different Parties which created legislation that is strong and fair. We urge them all the listen to Women’s organisations across the country who understand that there is no conflict here, and who have been providing safe services for all women for many years, just as we urge them to listen to and respect our own communities.

Consortium will continue to help dispel the misinformation about trans people and communities and keep lines of communication open with UK Government, and others, on this. Together we can break down the factual inaccuracies and move towards a fairer and more equal society.

 

 

Trans Equality Organisation Welcomes Passing of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

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Scottish Trans, the trans equality project of LGBTI equality and human rights charity the Equality Network, has welcomed that MSPs have voted, by 86 votes to 39, to pass the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in the final vote today. The result continues Scotland’s progress to become an inclusive country that recognises its people in all their diversity.

All the parties in the Scottish Parliament except the Conservatives committed to improve gender recognition law in their 2016 and 2021 Holyrood manifestos. The Scottish Government consulted publicly on the proposals in 2017, then published the bill and consulted again in 2019.

The Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee consulted again in the spring and summer of this year, and heard oral evidence on the bill from 39 witnesses. Those included supporters and opponents of the legislation, and experts in matters raised about it, such as equality law, women’s services, young people, sport and prisons, and religious representatives. They also heard from the leader of the Irish Seanad, about experience with similar legislation passed there some years ago.

The Committee recommended that the Parliament approve the principles of the bill.

Over 300 amendments were then considered at stages 2 and 3 of the bill, and more than 80 of them, from MSPs of different parties, were agreed upon to address matters that had been raised in relation to the bill.

Vic Valentine, Manager of Scottish Trans, said

“Trans people across Scotland today will be feeling pleased and relieved that this Bill has passed, after many years of difficult public debate that has often felt like people are talking about us, and not to us. The law that has passed today will mean that at important moments in their lives, like when starting a job or giving notice to be married, trans men and women will be able to show a birth certificate that reflects who they are. We all want to be able to live true to ourselves, and by voting for these simple but important changes to the existing process for trans people to be legally recognised, MSPs will improve trans men and women’s lives, by allowing them to live with the dignity and recognition that everyone deserves.”

Tim Hopkins, Director of the Equality Network, said:

“We thank MSPs, from all parties, who supported this bill, and those who engaged constructively on amendments. This result follows others where the Scottish Parliament has carefully considered the evidence and then legislated for fairness and equality. The repeal of section 28 in 2000, and equal marriage in 2014, were passed by the Parliament with some fears and misunderstandings expressed at the time about the consequences. It quickly became clear in both cases that the negative consequences that some had predicted did not materialise, and now a very large majority support those changes. We are sure that the same will happen with this legislation.”

The bill amends the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which is the law that allows trans people to update the sex recorded on their birth certificate, to reflect how they live their lives, and provide them with legal recognition of who they are.

Whilst world-leading when passed, the 2004 law is now widely considered by trans people and equalities and human rights organisations as imposing a process that is difficult, demeaning, and falls well below international human rights standards.

The bill makes important changes to the law, that significantly improve the current process that trans people in Scotland must use to update their birth certificate. This includes moving to a process of statutory self-declaration for legal gender recognition, removing the need for a psychiatric diagnosis of gender dysphoria and other intrusive medical evidence reports about choices a person has made about their medical transition, reducing the age at which people can apply from 18 to 16 in line with wider Scots law on legal capacity, and reducing the time someone must have been permanently living in their gender before they can apply to update the sex on their birth certificate, from two years to three months (six months for 16 and 17 year olds).

Overwhelming support for Gender Recognition reform from every corner of Scotland

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More than sixty LGBT+ organisations from around Scotland have written today to MSPs in support of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill. 1,500 postcards calling for reform will be delivered to Parliament tomorrow and, as of this morning, 33,255 emails in support of reform have been sent to MSPs at Scottish Parliament.

Supporters of the Bill will also be gathering outside the Scottish Parliament at 10am on Tuesday ahead of the first of two days of debate before the final vote on Wednesday, in order to send a colourful, positive message from trans people, friends, families, communities and allies in support of reforming the Gender Recognition Act.

The letter to MSPs is signed by a wide variety of LGBT+ groups from Dumfries to Shetland. It says:

“This week, the Scottish Parliament has a historic opportunity to continue Scotland’s journey towards full social and legal equality, for all LGBT+ people, by passing a new law which will remove bureaucratic and dehumanising barriers to legal gender recognition for trans men and women.

“As an LGBT+ community we have seen the repeal of Section 28, protection from discrimination, and equal marriage as some of the key steps forward in a country that respects all who live here, no matter who they love or who they are. In this journey we have learned that we are stronger when we are united.”

The signatories call on MSPs to reject amendments that would undermine the core principles of the bill:

  • That gender recognition should be based on a statutory declaration that the person is living in their transitioned gender and intends to do so permanently
  • That the minimum age should be 16, with support and advice signposted and available for 16 and 17 year olds
  • That the effects of obtaining gender recognition should remain unchanged from those in place since 2005

Dr Rebecca Crowther, Policy Coordinator at the Equality Network said,

“This letter reaffirms what many of us already knew, that the vast majority of LGBT+ people support reforming the Gender Recognition Act and this bill proposed by the Scottish Government. LGBT+ people have seen huge steps forward to their rights in two decades, and we urge MSPs to continue to make progress forward by backing the Bill.”

Heidi Vistisen, Policy Manager for LEAP Sports Scotland said,

”This legislation will not only reduce the barriers for trans people to get legal gender recognition, it will also further enable them to live their full authentic lives. We are pleased to see so many organisations and sports groups show their unwavering support for the inclusion of trans people, and hope members of the Scottish Parliament will listen to the many voices asking them to also show their support.”

Sand Owsnett, chair of Highland Pride said:

“Highland Pride will always support and advocate for trans equality because everyone has the right to be themselves. The current gender recognition process is outdated, dehumanising and excludes many trans people. The proposed reforms would not only bring Scotland closer to international best practice, but also uphold trans people’s human rights.”

Kath Pierce, founder and co-editor of Somewhere for Us magazine said:

“Our organisation exists to champion the lives of our diverse LGBTQ+ communities across Scotland. This bill champions our trans family and supports them to live their authentic lives, just as so many of us already have the freedom to.”

Consortium statement on cancellation of the International LGBT Conference

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Consortium's inclusive logo with colourful triangles in the colours of the inclusive LGBT+ flag colours

The implications of the International LGBT conference being cancelled are solely at the doorstep of Number 10. LGBT+ organisations in the UK were left with no choice but to withdraw any support in order to stand in solidarity and partnership with our trans siblings and communities. Our Government needs to take this as an opportunity to take a step back and consider where it gets its information on our communities from.

We are as one today as we always have been. Trans rights are not secondary to anyone else’s. Trans rights are human rights, pure and simple.

This is a sad day but one where we must begin to change the narrative and look to build a country where every person can feel safe and live a life with dignity and respect. We will continue to look to talk to Government in partnership with our sector on how we can achieve that one step at a time. We will also support our members working internationally, and those looking to make international LGBT+ connections, so together in solidarity we can progress LGBT+ rights worldwide.

Consortium Blog: An LGBT+ Sector As One

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Consortium's inclusive logo with colourful triangles in the colours of the inclusive LGBT+ flag colours

This blog has been written by Consortium’s CEO, Paul Roberts.

The actions of UK Government in the last week have simply been shocking. After years of promising a Ban on so-called conversion therapy, which the UK Government’s own evidence (the highly referenced LGBT Survey 2018) shows has affected 5% of our communities, the pulling of proposed legislation and then a partial U-turn is just unacceptable. What research also highlights is that trans and non-binary people are even more likely to experience so-called conversion therapy practices, with 11% of those responding to Galop’s survey (LGBT+ Experiences
of Abuse from Family Members) experiencing attempts to change or ‘cure’ or supress their identity.

Let’s not read this situation wrong, without a complete ban lives will continue to be lost. What is happening to people is torture and no one can say this is acceptable in the United Kingdom in 2022. A partial ban only including LGB people makes no logical sense. It is immoral and many other countries around the world have implemented it and shown it is perfectly possible to legislate effectively.

The UK Government has expended a lot of time, energy and resource on the international LGBT conference, planned for June this year. Whilst its focus is international LGBT+ issues, and has several events/forums taking place under the one banner, to hold this in the UK when we have a government that continues to treat trans and non binary communities with disdain can’t happen without challenge. We don’t want to see work our international focussed members are engaged in affected, but we (as do they) refuse to stand by and allow what is affecting people in the UK be pushed under the carpet in order to present a positive picture on LGBT+ rights. Whilst we are a UK domestic LGBT+ organisation, we will continue to stand by our international focused members to support work, collaborations and show solidarity and allyship globally.

Let’s also be clear, the LGBT+ sectors, and by that I mean the diversity and intersectionality of LGBT+ communities are as one on this. The one positive from the darkness we have seen emerging since late on Thursday is the solidarity of our sector. There has been some messaging that UK Government believes the sector is divided on this. This could not be farther from the truth and the only organisations who are not as one are those who are transphobic, plain and simple. We are as united as we ever have been and will continue to work together to ensure the UK is somewhere where every LGBT+ person can live a life safely and with dignity.

An LGBT+ Sector As One: Ban Conversion Therapy

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Consortium's inclusive logo with colourful triangles in the colours of the inclusive LGBT+ flag colours

This afternoon, Consortium as the umbrella body for LGBT+ Voluntary and Community Organisations across the UK, along with members of the Ban Conversion Therapy Alliance and others, have published a statement responding to the UK’s Government actions regarding the withdrawal of plans to outlaw conversion practices. We are as one as an LGBT+ sector on this and will stand firm in fighting for a country where every LGBT+ person, and that includes every trans and non-binary and intersex person can live safely and with the dignity everyone deserves.

Read our statement in support of Stonewall’s here.