Changing gender to get cheaper but ‘self‑identify’ scheme is off - Liz Truss anouncement expect soon says Sunday Times

The Equality Act is reserved legislation but the Scottish Government‘s line is that they are merely adapting a process that many applicants find ‘demeaning, lengthy, stressful and expensive’ by allowing them to ‘self identify’ and by shortening the time they are required to live in their ‘acquired’ gender.
However, in the European Court of Human Rights case A.P., Garçon and Nicot v France
(Judgment April 2017) a majority of judges ruled that France had not breached Article 8 (Right to respect for private life) either on the need to prove that a person suffered from gender dysphoria or on the obligation to undergo a medical examination before that individual was allowed to change the ‘sex’ entry on a birth certificate. In fact the judges stated that this process ensured that the individuals involved did not erroneously change their legal sex.
They also stated that, in making decisions, States were required to strike a fair balance between the general interest and the rights of the individual.
But I agree with the view that Individuals should not be allowed to change the biological sex entry on birth certificates as this is totally different from gender. Trans activists have deliberately confused the two terms and it is this that needs to be highlighted and fiercely contested.

Can I ask, did anyone see what Keir Starmer said in response to this announcement? Did he say anything? I have everything crossed he hasn't gone TWAW so I can vote and maybe even join labour again....

The Equality Act is reserved legislation but the Scottish Government line is that it is merely trying to amend the present process for obtaining a GRC which many applicants find ‘demeaning, lengthy, stressful and expensive‘ by allowing them to ‘self-identify’ and shortening the time they are required to live in their ‘acquired gender’ - This is despite the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the A.P., Garçon and Nicot v. France case (April 2017) regarding the ability of trans individuals to change the ‘sex’ entry on birth certificates. Here, a majority of judges ruled that the requirement to prove the existence of gender dysphoria and undergo a medical examination did not breach Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the Convention and that these conditions ensure that individuals do not erroneously change their legal sex.
They also stated that in making decisions, States are required to strike a fair balance between the general interest and the rights of the individual.

The Equality Act is reserved legislation. Does that prevent Scotland going it alone as they will try to?

I will not celebrate until the GRA is repealed and all the misrepresentation of the law is overturned.

Nonetheless I am very pleased we are not going further down this track.

Looks like Liz Truss's statement is out: twitter.com/BluskyeAllison/status/1308331841976401920?s=20

I wish they would also change birth certificates so they have sex and gender

How does that work then? “Congratulations Mrs Smith, you have a girl, which set of sex stereotypes would you like imposed on your daughter? You can chose between her being considered emotional and illogical, wear impractical clothing, and expected to be kind to boys, or you can chose for her to be a leader, inventive, active and have others give way to her? Of course if you chose the latter then she will also be expected to undergo experimental medical treatment that will leave her sterile, sexually dysfunctional, and a medical patient for life.”

Having a Gender Recognition Certificate still doesn't override the single sex exemptions to certain spaces and services.

Thank you. I didn't know that. Some sanity buried in with the nonsense!

I don’t want to stop someone from living a life that makes them happy if it doesn’t hurt anyone but I totally agree with this change in plan.
I wish they would also change birth certificates so they have sex and gender. The gender one should be able to be changed (with appropriate safeguards) but the sex one shouldn’t unless there is a documented mistake or an undiagnosed intersex condition that later medical evidence shows the wrong sex was entered on the birth certificate.

Otherwise your sex is your sex - however you identify. Then proper statistics could be kept as well.

It is my understanding that the GRC does is not intended to work like an 'entry pass'. The GRC enables other paperwork/records updates although it seems like the number of updates not requiring that paperwork ie. driving licences might have been quietly expanded in recent years.

That petition is being gamed, just like the consultation was. There is a twitter thread about it.

Read the responses to the petitions committee

twitter.com/hocpetitions/status/1308007609140641794?s=21

", We don’t need gender in law or bureaucracy, just biological sex "

I do not mind registering my sex with the state but not aspects of my personality

Totally. But I've noticed that they are not very bright.

So, you'd only be allowed into single sex spaces if you have a gra?

How would that work? Say someone was actually challenged in the Ladies would they have to carry their copy of the gra and have to show it?

I'd still prefer third spaces to be honest.

I would sign a repeal GRA petition. As ChattyLion says, We don’t need gender in law or bureaucracy, just biological sex. Everyone would still be free to perform gender however they want to. or to DGAF about gender if they want to.

But at present I don’t think enough people understand what self-ID means in terms of child safeguarding and women’s rights. The trans lobby still has a stranglehold on most of the media.

I'd have thought a public debate bringing the pros (if there are any) and cons of self id to the attention of the entire country would be the last thing they'd want.

Is there a repeal petition?

It should be made cheaper - it should be made impossible. ‘Gender’ needs to be removed from all other laws and officialdom and replaced with sex. If sex is not relevant then sex should not be mentioned. There is not place for belief systems in law.

YY What Aesop said. We don’t need gender in law or bureaucracy, just biological sex. Everyone would still be free to perform gender however they want to. or to DGAF about gender if they want to.

Sorry to say that the Scottish Government seems set on introducing 'self- identification' (although the final decision has been delayed until March) and it looks as though a majority of MSPs will support this in part due to the influence of the Cross Party Group (CPG) on LGBTI+ Issues.This group is made up of MSPs who are either openly L,G, or B, or 'allies' (supportive MSPs from across the Parliament) plus representatives from LGBT pressure and advocacy groups such as Stonewall, Equality Network, LGBT Youth, the Scottish Transgender Alliance and the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) Group - The minutes of the CPG on LGBTI+ Issues from 2016-2020 can be viewed on the Scottish Government website and are well worth reading as they give an insight into how LGBTI+ demands are promoted within the Scottish Parliament.

Alas, the SNP will now probably be reenergised to show they are different from England.

I'm in the North of Ireland and as the DUP like to follow the government in England (even when they're being Brexit lemmings) I shall take this as a win here too! Let's see how many men suddenly decide they don't 'feel' like women after all.

If it's made cheaper but you actually need one to get recognised as the gender you want to be for everything then you can't use expense as an excuse and it might stop the self ID through the back door stuff that's going on in changing rooms/ toilets/ guides/ schools etc now. If you are really bothered about this surely you'll jump through the hoops? I think a diagnosis of gender dysphoria should be essential because if you are a male who doesn't have gender dysphoria then why are you so desperate to get in to women's changing rooms?

*should not

It should be made cheaper - it should be made impossible. ‘Gender’ needs to be removed from all other laws and officialdom and replaced with sex. If sex is not relevant then sex should not be mentioned. There is not place for belief systems in law.