A little summary of some things that sprung out at me from the "Vision for Change" document (a bit mixed-matched from various segments but all taken from the document).
I personally do not think knock on effects, or other groups' concerns were seriously taken into account. I am unable to see a significant section reflecting on how these policies might affect women or the "old school transsexuals." Absent, in my opinion, is also real discussion on how to protect vulnerable people from making potentially the wrong decision to transition, especially very young people.
Where is the safeguarding analysis?
They write:
LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT.
The whole section acknowledges that the language is fast-changing and confusing, so how is a lay person expected to follow? If language is fundamental, should it not be clear?
Prisons:
An end to the mistreatment and abuse of trans people in the Criminal Justice System (CJS). Trans people must be housed in the correct prison and supported to live according to their self-identified gender. There should be robust training for the prison services and National Offender Management Service (NOMS).
....
NOMS need to ensure that prisoners are consistently and correctly placed in prisons according to their self-identified gender, with any exceptions fully justified according to the new policy and guidance.
Is there any impact of moving male-born violent offenders into the female estate? Where is the trans advisory group policy for assessing why someone like Ian Huntley might claim to be trans and how to stop manipulative people like him from self-identifying?
Sports:
The right of trans athletes, particularly trans women, to actively participate in fair competition at every level of sport, often finds itself under scrutiny from fellow athletes and governing bodies.
Governing bodies must ensure there is full legal compliance and equality of provision to trans people, and that processes and procedures are regularly and frequently reviewed. National sporting bodies should be in regular communication with each other to ensure gender policies are up to date, coherent and consistent and follow the Equality Act and International Olympic Committee guidelines.
I wonder why trans women are scrutinized when playing against females?
The LGB community:
There is also sometimes explicit hostility towards trans people from cisgender lesbian, gay or bi people (those whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth). There is also a lack of universal acceptance that trans identities are valid.
Cotton ceiling?
Finally, some members of other groups seeking gender equality refuse to recognise the legitimacy of either self-defined gender or legally defined gender through the Gender Recognition Act 2004. This can lead to hostility and abuse.
Are gender-critical feminists specifically being called out here?
Kids:
All trans young people to have the right to medical confidentiality and individual consent in line with Gillick competencies.
Gillick competence relates to the medical law where children under 16 do not need to have parental permission for treatment?
...
Services that help children and young people coming to terms with their gender identity are invaluable. It is important that age-appropriate care and support is available to everyone who requires this. Mermaids is an organisation dedicated to supporting children and young people dealing with gender issues.
.......
These services work with young people, and their parents / carers, to decide on the right course of action for an individual, which could include the use of hormone blockers to delay puberty. This type of help is not appropriate for all young people exploring their gender identity, but it is an option that can help to prevent a child from being exposed to serious harm and support them to embrace who they are.
Support for the Mermaids approach, puberty blockers, and theoretical background for lowering the age of legal gender transition to 16?
Removing the medical diagnosis component of trans:
The current provision of trans healthcare is still rooted in the medicalisation of gender diversity. New models of care, which don’t require psychiatric diagnosis as their foundation, should be explored.
"You don't need gender dysphoria to be trans"?
The right of the marital partner to have a say in deciding whether to continue in marriage if the partner legally changes gender:
In England and Wales, those who are married and want to have their gender legally recognised, need the written permission of their spouse in order to do so if they want their marriage to continue. If their spouse does not give this permission, the trans partner cannot have their gender legally recognised and remain married.
I agree spouses shouldn't be able to block a transition, but they do not have a right to weigh in on their marital status! How will this affect trans widows?
The significance of the GRA:
If people live as one gender, but are legally recognised as another, they do not have access to legal protections, such as the right to always be treated as their correct gender in the legal system, and for pension calculations and insurance policies.
So it changes how one is viewed by default?
And the single-sex exemptions/protected categories in EA:
The Equality Act also allows trans people to be treated differently in particular situations. When applying for certain jobs, participating in sport, accessing single-sex services, serving in the Armed Forces, or attending school a trans person’s rights are not the same as everyone else’s.
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A reformed Equality Act that will protect all trans people. The protected characteristic should be changed from ‘gender reassignment’ to ‘gender identity’ and the use of the terms ‘gender reassignment’ and ‘transsexual’ should be removed. Trans people must be able to understand when their rights are infringed, and to be able to take appropriate action.
Support for removing single-sex exemptions, removing the concept of transsexualism and enshrining "gender identity" as the protected characteristic in law?