Trans Widows, the Liberal Democrats and the Spousal "Veto"

[TinselAngel]

First of all I have @anlaf to thank for drawing my attention to this originally.

Did you know the Liberal Democrats are currently proposing changes to the Gender Recognition Act which could have the effect of trapping trans widows in same sex marriages against their will?

A woman could go from being in a hetrosexual marriage, to being in legally a same sex marriage, without her consent.

A motion was passed at the Liberal Democrat party conference (proposer Layla Moran MP ) to change the clause of the GRA which allows for one party to a marriage to have the marriage annulled / dissolved before the other party is able to be issued with a Gender Recognition Certificate.

Trans Activists inaccurately refer to this section of the GRA as the "Spousal Veto". It is not a veto. It does not prevent transition. At worst it might delay the issue of a GRC.

Never mind, you might think, the Lib Dems aren't going to get into power any time soon? Putting aside the possibility of a hung parliament in an imminent general election, the Lib Dems appear to not be able to wait to get into power to introduce this, as now Baroness Barker has submitted a private members bill in the House of Lords.

Google "spousal veto" and you will see pages of accustions that it can be used by an abusive controlling spouse to maliciously prevent their partner's transition. However no evidence is ever provided that this has ever happened. Those of you who have read the trans widows threads will have your own opinion of how likely this is.

Not all women in this situation will be able to get divorced. Some cannot get divorced for religious or cultural reasons. Maybe they can't afford it, or maybe their husband will refuse to consent to an Unreasonable Behaviour petition and drag the marriage out for 5 years or more.

Please contact the Liberal Democrats (particulary if you have a Liberal Democrat MP) and any prominent feminists you know to get people talking about this. It is a completely unjustified assault on one of the few rights that trans widows have. Any attack on Womens Rights is an attack on all women.

Very sensible points made last time. It’s baffling that the Lib Dems are seemingly so thick they can’t comprehend it

I would like to contact my local Lib Dem MP regarding this but I am nowhere near as articulate as most people on this board. Is there a template or a suggested draft I could use? I want to help.

I will come up with a template. I might not have time until next week though.

I would be eternally grateful Tinsel, thank you.

It's me that will be grateful to you!

Great to have support from Glinner on this: (scroll down for relevent section)

glinner.co.uk/a-week-in-the-war-on-women-saturday-12th-october-saturday-13th-october/

Good to have support. Depressing reading though.

This is a bit of a tangent, but although I understand why a trans person would want a GRC, I’m confused by the practice of some trans people changing their birth certificates.

Let’s say that John Smith married his wife Barbara before gay marriage or civil partnerships became legal. John later transitions and gets a new birth certificate stating that he was born a girl called Joanne Smith.

Does this mean that the Smiths’ were never legally married? Did John Smith never legally exist, even if he had a criminal record? What about the Smiths’ children having John Smith listed as their father on their own birth certificates? Are the birth certificates still valid? Could the children’s inheritance or citizenship rights be affected?

The answer to all those questions is "No", I believe, Cattenberg, which I suppose is inconsistent, but fair!

That’s good, I think. But it does make me wonder what the amended birth certificates are actually for. Cognitive dissonance is one thing but legal dissonance...

Right, I've drafted a template email, but I'm not sure what the best way to distribute it is? Shall I post it here? It's 440 words so quite long.

You could post it or I could pm my email?

Thank you btw @TinselAngel

I dont believe TWAW, but I dont see why a partner should be able to veto this. Surely they can leave or divorce for unreasonable behaviour?

Read my OP, Branleuse.

It's not a veto.

Thank you, TinselAngel. Happy to go with whatever you think best.

I've (hopefully) DM'd the template email to everybody who has asked for it.

I'm happy to send it to anybody else.

Thank you all for your support of trans widows.

I probably should have said earlier, this is most relevant in England and Wales. The law is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Received Tinsel, thank you! I will be sending to my local Lib Dem's as soon as I can.

Thank you, TinselAngel, consider it done!

Another point to consider:

Part of the public sector equality duty is to foster good relationships between those with a particular protected characteristic and those who do not share it. Removal of the spousal consent provision would be likely to actively worsen those relationships by removing a straightforward, no-fault way to end the marriage.

In the GRA consultation it was called 'spousal consent provisions'. I like spousal consideration.

I missed this thread originally. Thank you
for drawing attention to it.

Great post stealth.

I shall copy and keep if that's ok, for my arguments with the woken.

God TinselAngel - I don't know how you cope with continuously being shat on by other women. It makes me feel sick and furious.

And yes to this.

I had an exchange on twitter with a woman who'd told me she'd "quietly listened" and realised her boundaries had been exclusionary and recommended that I look deep into my soul.

I suggested she did the freedom programme and then get back to me.

And that left me feeling shocked and sick, so I have no idea how you and the other transwidows deal with it, esp at political level.

Sorry posting with toddler.

Could I please have a draft copy, I have a Lib Dem mp.