GRC for transwoman with illegal explosives conviction

[Mumsnut]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6281853/Father-seven-convict-gender-change-recognised-High-Court.html

Don't know if the conviction was terrorism related, but I hope it will remain visible to those who need to know about it now that this person's identity can legally change.

I find it difficult to accept that a judge knows better than a medical panel, however.

I wonder how a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is established?

I know there are no blood tests or scans possible. But how can a doctor diagnose after one consultation? Is it just a case of answering questions satisfactory and having id?

Where is the safeguarding for both the patient and women and girls?

Bex Stinson (Stonewall) speaking on Woman’s Hour this morning said that there was no right of appeal to the decisions of a GRC panel. So how does this person get a panel’s decision overturned by a judge?

I have a feeling that no one knows the process and are just making stuff up to suit their argument.

I'm starting to wonder if there aren't judges we should be side-eying along with politicians.

Sounds like at least one doctor (the most experienced in the field, it looks like) refused to give a diagnosis. So the person just started shopping around until they got one (I'm guessing that you can get an online diagnosis from certain ahem practitioners).

Cwen, sounds like this person was never refused exactly, but was directed on a number of occasions to submit correct documentation which they repeatedly failed to do. Therefore the panel could not progress the application.

Popchyk, no, she applied three times and was refused three times (it's true that the panel asked a series of follow ups each time rather than refusing her right away). Although there may be no right of appeal, you can apply multiple times, as in this case, and you can challenge the decision before the courts too, as in this case. There is no right of appeal only in a limited sense, ie there is no appeals procedure (you are expected to apply again from scratch) (unless you challenge the panel before the courts as in this case).

The right of appeal is the one thing that I have flagged up in my response to the consultation as being unfair about the existing process. There should be a route for a review of the decision, without having to apply from scratch or take it to court

If the passport office turns down an application because the relavent criteria haven’t been met, can you appeal that decision? Or do you have to go away and re-apply demonstrating you do fulfill the criteria?

Seems analogous to me.

Was this appeal funded by legal aid?

There is a right of appeal on a point of law. This judge has gone beyond that by permitting new evidence that was never submitted to the panel.