Kemi Badenoch Excludes Countries with Less Rigorous Systems from Gender Recognition Certificate List
The Cabinet Minster also stated that children being rushed onto puberty blockers is ‘a new form of conversion therapy.’
A recent rule change stipulates that individuals from certain countries, such as parts of Australia and the United States, must provide medical reports when coming to the UK to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) since their systems are not considered as rigorous as the UK’s.
The new rules demand that if someone previously had their gender recognized in a country no longer on the approved list, they must present medical reports when seeking gender recognition in the UK.
The Minister also emphasized that the “threat to many young gay people is not conversion relating to their sexuality, but conversion relating to gender identity,” labeling it “a new form of conversion therapy.”
Ms. Badenoch mentioned that the rule changes are necessary because some countries and territories do not have systems that are as rigorous as those in the UK, hence posing a risk to the integrity of the Gender Recognition Act.
She added, “We also need to ensure parity with UK applicants. It would not be fair for the overseas routes to be based on less rigorous evidential requirements. This would damage the integrity and credibility of the process in the Gender Recognition Act.”
There are specific rules in the UK for obtaining a GRC, including an application being reviewed by a panel consisting of legal and medical experts. Only individuals over 18 are eligible to apply, and must provide evidence of having lived as their “affirmed gender” for at least two years. Additionally, applicants in the UK require a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and a number of other medical reports.
A draft order laid before Parliament indicated that New York City and South Australia are among the places removed from the list, along with Victoria and Tasmania in Australia and certain Canadian provinces like Alberta and British Columbia. Conversely, China, Cuba, India, Iran, Sri Lanka, and Belarus are new additions to the list.
Ms. Badenoch emphasized the need to provide “legal certainty” to reduce tensions resulting from the confusion around the terms sex and gender in the UK. She also mentioned the case of Keira Bell, who regrets the irreversible damage caused by being rushed onto puberty blockers and having a double mastectomy.
Bev Jackson, co-founder of LGB Alliance, applauded the Minister’s statement, calling it a “milestone” that acknowledges the “epidemic of young gay children being told they are trans and being put on a medical pathway.”
PA Media and Patricia Devlin contributed to this report.
