The consultation

[MipMipMip]

I have deliberately left filling in the consultation to see if anything came out of the woodwork. And what a lot of little woodworms there have been! But I will be filling it in in the next few days (although I'm sure there will be more revolutions I'll miss).

I was just wondering if there were any bits people thought they should have said, anything that needs drawing attention to? Any stories that are relevant? And were there any guides you found particularly useful in helping you to express your thoughts clearly?

To be clear: I am not asking anyone to fill it in for me like the Green Party, just wondering if there is anything I might want to include and may have overlooked.

Thank you.

Fair Play For Women and A Woman's Place guides very helpful.

I haven’t done it yet, but I intend to look at the opposition, see what they are advocating and make sure that my points address some of those issues, as well as following the guides mentioned by Redkeyboard

I'll be filling mine in on 17/18 October for this very reason. And keeping it open to add stuff until the last minute.

As Ereshkigal suggests, it might be a good idea to answer the questions now and keep the text in a document that you can update as necessary. Nearer the closing date, copy and paste into the form just before submitting it?

I've delayed it too, for the same reason. Plus, I'm not terribly articulate and somewhat lacking confidence in my ability to express myself well.
Same for contacting my MP. I don't know how to approach the subject and I'm not sure what her stance is.

Would it be helpful for us to create a resource thread here? Of examples that would be relevant examples to be included when filling in the consultation?

It's important that we answer in our own words and voice our own concerns. However, I don't think it would be odd to cite some of the same examples in support of our arguments? Particularly if we have a range to choose from - and given recent news stories, we seem to have an embarrassment of riches.

As Ereshkigal suggests, it might be a good idea to answer the questions now and keep the text in a document that you can update as necessary. Nearer the closing date, copy and paste into the form just before submitting it?

This is what I'll be doing. If you want to see the consultation questions without having to click through on the online form, they're in Annex B (starts p62) of this document
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721725/GRA-Consultation-document.pdf

Online form here
consult.education.gov.uk/government-equalities-office/reform-of-the-gender-recognition-act/

Thanks, there's a lot of useful stuff here.

I've started to put down my reasons, and I find I'm getting angrier as it goes on. I'm trying to use very factual, non-emotional, language, but it's a bit difficult.

I'm trying to focus on the fact that it isn't a private, individual, thing, (I haven't used "brave and stunning") it's something that has implications for everyone. So, of course, only a diagnosis of gender dysphoria will do. I have the analogy of getting a basic driving licence in mind. That's an individual decision, but it has a heck of lot of implications to the wider society that it's safe to issue a driving licence. But I have also said that a person seeking a GRA is likely to be in a distressed condition, and needs support.

As for the costs: I actually costed up how much for a basic driving licence. It's around £140. I wonder if that's why that figure was originally chosen for a GRA? Of course, a trans person would have to swear a statutory declaration, but that's probably about the same costs as for driving lessons. And there are many other reasons why people need a statutory declaration - should those reasons also be dispensed with? If someone decides to trans - again, that's not a private decision only - should society bear the financial cost of shuffling around that decision?

And I haven't even got on to the questions about sports/single sex/accommodation. It all reads as though this doesn't already happen. Yes, I'll be citing Swim England and Girl Guides, and any other examples I can think of.

Anyway, I've just vented here, so I don't end up writing that "non-binary" is a fucking nonsense.

My thanks to MNetters for a safe space to rant.