GRC and single sex spaces

[TheSteveMilliband]

Can anyone explain to me exactly the impact of having a GRC? I understand that someone holding one is to all intents and purposes considered of their acquired gender so that in effect single sex spaces are impossible to truly keep single sex. Yet people say sex exemptions under the equality act can still apply in certain circumstances. How if there is no way of knowing who is trans with a GRC?
I also understand that it is illegal to disclose / request information re a GRC, how do exemptions work with this?
I am also assuming that for all data collection / research other than voluntary disclosure there would be no way of monitoring discrimination in those groups (sex discrimination / discrimination against those with GRCs).

However, I don't know if this is correct or I have misunderstood. I know a lot of this is happening with or without GRC/GRA (crime may be reported as per identified gender rather than sex for example)
Would appreciate someone clever explaining the legal implications!

Not illegal to request sight of a GRC - it should just not be done "routinely".

However the GRC works the wrong war around. It proves that someone is "excludable" it it's a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim.

However, since a GRC not only gives you "female" on your birth certificate, it also makes it a legal requirement for all authorities to hide any evidence you were born the opposite sex, good luck with proving it!

That's the whole point of the GRC is to do the Human Rights thing about someone having the right to a private life. Apparently disclosing that breaks the HRA so authorities must be complicit in burying all evidence.

If "Orwellian" is over-used, it's only because it is no longer metaphorical, but an accurate description of where we are.

I'm not a lawyer - but in summary you can theoretically exclude someone with a GRC.

However, the part of the purpose of a GRC is to.,. erm.., create the illusion you don't have one.

Thanks potatoes, that makes it clearer. So refuges etc could request to see a GRC if proportionate but if someone refuses to / declines / states they don't have one there would be no way of checking this?

Steve here is a report that lays out the issues with refuges and exemptions in the words of UK professionals. See points 6,7 in exec summary in particular

fairplayforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/FPFW_report_19SEPT2018.pdf

Also point 1 actually

Additionally, there is also a wish on some quarters to remove single sex exemptions from the Equality act in the future...

I think the single sex exemptions only work on a voluntary basis. So transpeople don't apply for the service if the service has advertised it is single sex under the relevant legislation.

I think in the past requests were made to see the GRC, which people may produce they think it gives access to a service, but that is apparently bad practice now. But what if a transwoman just says, 'What GRC? I am a woman, look at my birth certificate'. Even if they look as male as Danielle Muscato, what can the service provider do?

What has protected women to a greater extent is that the numbers of transwomen with altered birth certificates is relatively low, and that they have been assessed by a gender recognition panel to weed out some inappropriate applicants. We know there are websites which coach people on what to say and what not to say to get a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Thankyou everyone, that's much clearer. Good to have accurate information when I'm told "it's only to let you change your birth certificate, nothing else"
Changing your birth certificate is a pretty big deal!