Including reaction and comments from the trans and non-binary commuity

Content warning: discusses issues relating to mental health, LGBTQ+ and non-binary/transgender issues, political issues, human rights, access to healthcare and transphobia.

If you need any help and support regarding any of this issues discussed or anything else a list of organisations is provided at the bottom of the page. I am also available for contact too on my social media and via this page (although I don’t check this as often).

“LGBT rights campaigners have voiced concern after the government’s equalities minister said she wanted to protect under-18s from “irreversible” decisions about their gender” (see here: independnt).

If you’re one of the most oppressed and at risk communities in society, you might expect the head of government for women and equalities to champion your rights and fight your opression. At the very least, you would not expect them to come forth with controversial statements or worrying comments, particularly in the midst of a difficult crisis, which Covid-19 is more then proving to be. This is not the case in the UK however. In a recent meeting for the women and equalities committee (done via video link) Lizz Truss (the Conservative MP and minister for women and equalities) outlined her and the government’s response to a consultation carried out on the gender recognition act (GRA) in 2018. This included a statement interpreted as a ban on under 18s with gender dysphoria from undertaking gender reassignment surgery.

The comprehensive consultation on the GRA was launched in July 2018 and more the 53,000 people took part. Reform to the GRA would make it easier cheaper and simpler for transgender people to update the legal name on their birth certificate. However, the government has still not published the results and successive equalities ministers have kicked any plans on it’s discussion into the long grass. In the recent meeting Lizz Truss outlined: “three very important principles that I will be putting place.”

“First of all, the protection of single-sex spaces, which is extremely important.

“Secondly making sure that transgender adults are free to live their lives as they wish without fear of persecution, whilst maintaining the proper checks and balances in the system.

“Finally – which is not a direct issue concerning the Gender Recognition Act but is relevant – making sure that the under-18s are protected from decisions that they could make, that are irreversible in the future.

Without entering into discussion on the ‘protection of single sex spaces’ or ‘proper checks and balances’, it is the final point that has raised the most concern across the board notably from LGBTQ+ campaigners. (You can read more about the first two issues in an article by Stonewall). For many LGBTQ+ people and in particular trans people, access to appropriate healthcare can be very difficult. What’s more, under the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, a trans person has to undergo a two-year waiting period, a review or appearance before a specialist panel as well as paying £140 before being able to change their gender legally (independnt). This is before you factor in the incredible wait times to get an appointment at a gender identity clinic in the UK, the fact that some doctors have a severe lack of understanding on LGBTQ+ issues and the general lack of funding for healthcare on the NHS. As far as I am aware and at the time of writing, you must be at least 16 to be prescribed hormones (estrogen and testosterone) (the guardian) and to have gender reassignment surgery (NHS). You can legally be prescribed puberty blockers at any age and these simply delay puberty giving you time to make decisions with no known long term side effects (NHS). However, you still have to undergo a two year waiting period as well as various assessments and appointments before being prescribed and with the additional factors mentioned above this can often make it too late for puberty blockers to be worthwhile.

Opinions and comments from the trans and non-binary community

Many people have been asking why Lizz Truss come out with comments like this particularly when young people are able to take many other irreversible decisions and surgeries that aren’t trans specific. Furthermore, a lot of people are worried about the impact these proposals would have on trans adults and children with the trans community and LGBTQ+ organisations speaking out on the issue (see Pink News). I’ve spoken to as many trans and non binary people that I know and who have given me permission to write their comments here. In each case I asked them if they had heard about the principles set forward by Lizz Truss and what their opinion was regarding these proposals.

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Morgan, trans woman she/her , sudent and sex worker, UK.

“I don’t have anything to eloquent to say tbh haha. Basically it’s just poorly researched, poorly thought out and we’ve been getting on fine without it. Just because that’s what she reckons off no research and a fundamental stupidity, everyone’s going to suffer.”

So would you say that Lizz Truss as the minister for equalities and also the government haven’t done their research? You also described this as fundamental stupidity and you think that because of this people are going to suffer?

“Pretty much, it’s cleary going for the immediate most obvious solution.”

What exactly do you mean by that?

“Like they’ve seen people going ‘but there’s men in women’s spaces!!!’ and gone ‘yeah okay let’s stop that then’ without doing any research into anything, and just taking the first or loudest voices at face value.”

That makes sense. So do you think that most of these voices are transpobic ones? Is the government being very reactionary to these kinds of people/voices?

“Yeah, they’re trapped in the 70s and thinking that every trans person is basically Dr. Frank N. Furter from Rocky Horror and are going to do horrible things to them because they’re devients. They didn’t consider that cis men could by the same token claim to be trans men to get into women’s bathrooms so it makes no rational sense. They didn’t listen to the people actually affected [by the proposals], they listened to morons who just think ‘well something feels a bit icky about it’.”

Yeah that’s the consensus I’m getting and it seems as though they are very ill prepared and under informed to discuss these issues. It also seems that they haven’t taken into account any opinions from trans or non-binary people who are the ones affected.

“pretty much.”

Agreed. Thanks so much for your response!

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Nate, trans man he/him, student, UK

Do you think that this will have a big impact on the trans community in general?

“Of course it will. I think suicides would go up and maybe people having to be stealth and not publicaly proud of their trans-ness if they can. This might lead to people maybe moving elsewhere as well? I’m not saying it’s likely but the bathroom thing might make people feel less at home in the UK. I think that this systematic alienation of the trans community will lead to a rise in discrimination since people might find it reasonable and probably more hate crimes. Definitiely the movement of trans women into male spaces will increase harassment and overall impact the mental wellness of the community.”

That makes a lot of sense and it seems like trans people (purposefully or not) would be removed from public life and forced underground more by proposals like this. Thank you for sharing your opinion!

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Ziggy, trans man he/him, student, UK

“It’s not been more than a very ominous statement but it’s likely to involve making it illegal to give trans under 18s puberty blockers claiming they cannot consent. She’s also trying to change the name of the department of women and equality to the department of freedom, presumably to shift the focus from oppressed minorities.”

Ok I understand your point. thank you! Can I also ask you about what you think of the argument that young people should be protected from making irreversible permanent changes to themselves i.e by taking hormones?

“I mean firstly it takes about 4 years to get to the tavistock child clinic and they force you to go through all sorts of evaluation first so it’s very well regulated and safe, also going on hormones before the age of 18 is very unusual due to this lengthy system. Secondly, by that argument you’re kinda arguing that under 18s cannot consent to any medical procedure, I mean plenty of things are not necessary but would make somebody’s life infinitely better! I’d recommend reading assigned male comics by Sophie label, they explain all these points very well.”

Thanks! I’ll definitely check out that reading and make myself more informed if I can.

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Connor, trans man he/him, student, UK

Have you heard about Lizz Truss’s latest proposals for trans people and the GRA and can I ask for your opinion about this? (explained the proposals using Lizz Truss’ quotes)

“I have not [heard about the proposals]…Well I kinda get the under 18 thing, but I swear you can’t even get hormones and that before 18 anyway? Like obvs have all the gender therapy so people can start hormones as soon as they turn 18. The second one [proposal] is fucking stupid.”

As far as I am aware you can be prescribed gender reassignment hormones at 16 and puberty blockers at any age. Why do you think that? Surely trans people should have access to hormones whenever?

“Hmmmm… I personally just think that if you’re too young to like buy alcohol or drive or get a house you’re too young to change your body so extremely.”

You make some valid points. However, a lot of people I have spoken to question why under 18s can’t consent to this kind of medical procedure but can others. They also reference the fact that you have to go through extensive evaluations before you get near hormones or trans medical procedures as an under 18. What would you say in response to this?

“A very good question. I would say if under 18’s can consent to getting hormones, you have to take into account all of the things under 18’s can’t do like buy alcohol or cigarettes which are in place to protect younger people against the long-standing damages. To vote, buy a house, drive a car (that’s 17 but you get me) have different work rights, get married without parental consent etc…which I understand are all different issues in themselves, but I just believe that when a person is still a child and their brain and body are still developing going through life changing and sometimes irreversible procedures just don’t seem right to me…it’s worth the wait”

Ok thank you so much for your response! It’s good to have a different perspective.

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Jacob, non-binary they/them, presenter at Gaydio, UK

“Her comments pander to a very transphobic point of view, she’s engaging with groups and people who are openly anti-trans, to my knowledge she hasn’t followed or engaged with any trans people. It’s scary, I’m scared, not just for me but for trans kids, who already have a really tough time as it is. Her job is to protect equality or make things better for vulnerable minority groups, yet here, her plan seems to be to do the exact opposite. I would appeal to her heart, but I fear she just doesn’t have one.”

Thank you so much! Also, thanks for doing your best to write down your opinion when it’s clearly a very emotional subject for you.

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Thank you to everyone that answered my questions and let me post them here. I appreciate your opinions and the time and effort it takes, especially on emotional subjects such as this. Hopefully the Tories and Lizz Truss will address the GRA in a positive fashion this summer. In the meantime, let me know what you think in the comments below. Stay safe and keep strong x

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