re GRA concerns...
Thank you for contacting me about transgender equality and protecting women's rights.
I would like to assure you that there is a strong commitment to achieving equality for all. There is no hierarchy of equality. The profile of transgender equality has rightly been raised in the past few years as many transgender people still encounter prejudice and discrimination. This, however, has not been to the detriment to women. The equal rights of women and of transgender individuals are being strongly promoted.
Transgender people often face some of the worst discrimination in our society. Proposals to streamline and de-medicalise the process for changing gender are part of a broad consultation of the legal system that underpins gender transition, the Gender Recognition Act (GRA). For many transgender people, and organisations that support transgender people, the legal recognition process is no longer delivering. The consultation aims to improve this public service to make the system less bureaucratic and intrusive for the trans people that use it.
There has been some misunderstanding and confusion about what this consultation covers and what it might mean. The consultation only asks about changes to the GRA and there will not be any amendments to the Equality Act 2010. Under the Equality Act 2010, some organisations may treat people with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment differently in particular circumstances when it comes to accessing single- and separate-sex services, such as services provided to survivors of domestic abuse. The guidance on the issue makes it explicitly clear that the exception can only be used in exceptional circumstances and where there is no less discriminatory way of providing the service. The consultation is open and I know the Government Equalities Offices is keen to reassure organisations, especially women's groups, with concerns about what change to the GRA might mean. I would encourage you to contribute your views.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me