to ask what *alternatives* to self ID you think would work for trans people and the rest of society?

[yetanothertranswoman]

If you are against self if, what would you like to have instead as a system that allows trans people to live their lives the best they can whilst ensuring that potential issues highlighted by self ID are minimised.

For context - I am trans. I've had HRT and surgery. It took a long time to get to surgery as the NHS appointment system takes its time. I had to attend a psychiatrist appointment even before being referred to the NHS clinics. Then I was able to get a letter from the GP to allow me to alter my 'identifiers' on my passport and driving license.

At that point I told work and was given protection under the Equality Act so I couldn't face discrimination due to being trans at work.

I got my diagnosis of transexualism after my 3rd session with the NHS psychiatrist.

I got my GRC after my surgery - it hasn't really meant much to me in real life getting this.

I am not in favour of self ID - and this thread is not about self ID. I was just wondering what people think of the current system and if they can see any alternatives - as the definition of trans varies wildly.

As James Morris Jan climbed Everest with Hillary and Tensing and was the Times correspondent who reported the story of the ascent that famously broke the news of the conquest of the summit on the day of the Queen's Coronation.

yetanothertranswoman That 0.5% number is likely an estimation from some Dutch studies which estimated 1% of the population have gender dysphoria or dysphoric-like symptoms, but most of those never seek medical help with it. Less than 20% do, only a portion of those would previously be suitable for transition though that's shakier now, and now we have people who identify and are buying hormones and blockers online without any medical oversight. I think the 0.5-1% are trans often bandied about is just a nice round catchier number based slightly on those studies.

I agree with RatRolyPoly that we have multiple forms of self-ID that do somehow need to be discussed in wider society. The legal GRC issue, the public spaces issue, and I would add the medical issue. Not that long ago, gender dysphoria was usually discussed and studied as a symptom that, while a major part of a Gender Identity Disorder diagnosis, was discussed as having other causes. Now for various reasons GID became just gender dysphoria and the time to investigate if there are other causes has been strongly socially discouraged now with pushes to get to medical transition asap to the point that, as I said, that some view getting a diagnosis at all is "cissexist gatekeeper bullshit" and attempt to do so DIY. This is, obviously, incredibly risky and putting lives at risk. The self-ID conversation will need to include the issues with the current trend to self-diagnose and self-medicate and the impacts of that and what can be done to curb that.

I'm not sure on alternatives, I don't think self-ID GRC is going to help anyone, dysphoric or not, trans or not. I've been a pretty vocal supporter that there needs to be better funded and better options for dysphoric people today than there is. I think part of the issue is due to funding, the time period seems long but the number of actual appointments and time with professionals has been heavily reduced over the years. I agree that the GRC medical checks should at least remain and in my opinion may need to be strengthened at least in the medical evidence provided to show that a job beyond a tickbox exercise has been done. In public spaces, I agree we need to make those spaces safer and to somehow use the equality legislation that there is - which does make companies and others liable if they do not adequate safeguarding on protected classes like sex - but I think until someone actually brings a case to court it will be difficult to make many companies and councils and such pay attention and do much which is unfortunate as likely that will only happen when something awful happens.