Thread by @SaeBeverley

This is my MEGA thread on completing a response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation. If you are British and care about trans people then PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE fill it in here:

gov.uk/government/con…

Even if you have only got the time to tick boxes, DEADLINE IS FRIDAY.

Resources that I'm using:

A fab talk by @sally_hines and @NotRightRuth

This fantastic guide from @NotRightRuth ruthpearce.net/2018/10/13/gra…

And @GenderBen responses shared personally with me.

I also recommend stonewall.org.uk/gender-recogni… and mermaidsuk.org.uk/assets/media/M…

QUESTIONS 1 and 2: I am not trans so I did not answer them. If you are trans this is your chance to share your experiences so use it to impact the consultation.

QUESTION 3: NO. It's time to put in all the evidence of long waiting lists, and crappy treatment by gender clinics. The Women and Equalities 2016 report has some great quotes that I put in, and it's always good to throw the governments own research back at them.

Question 3: Cracking quote from the Women and Equalities committee I've thrown in: 'We have found that the NHS is letting down trans people, with too much evidence of an approach that can be said to be discriminatory and in breach of the Equality Act."

publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cm…

QUESTION 4: NO. Repeat yourself, repeat yourself LOADS. Different analysts will be looking at your submission, no one will look at it as a whole. Therefore feel free to copy pasta and repeat evidence in answers to different questions.

Question 4: Again NHS is not competent, gender clinics have been shown to be invasive and discriminatory, GP are ill informed on trans issues. Disabled trans people may also be unable to access medical interventions for health reasons, this discriminates against them!

QUESTION 5a: NO! During the two years 'living in acquired gender' employers and services request a GRA certificate. So this paperwork is needed to keep trans people financially afloat. What does living as a woman even mean?

Question 5a: Further, Malta and Ireland already have great systems of self ID with no problems so far of people faking it.

QUESTION 5b + c: I answered NO to A so did not answer this question

QUESTION 5d: NO the time taken for the application to be processed is plenty of time for reflection without adding anymore. Plus trans people have done a hell of a lot of reflecting before they apply for a GRC.

QUESTION 6a: NO it's expensive and bureaucratic, trans people already doing tonnes of paperwork, this requirement is not placed on cisgender people or on changing names. This requirement does not include non binary people!

QUESTION 6b: I didn't answer as I answered no to a

QUESTION 6c: NO, other systems such as ireland have not had any problems with fraudulent applications. There is no evidence that other systems are being abused in this way so no need to act to prevent a problem that there is all the evidence will not occur.

Question 6c: Statutory declaration has no impact on access to services such as refuges as they do not require a birth certificate to access.

QUESTION 7: NO! I'm so angry writing this one. The spousal veto is used to coercively control trans people in relationships, removing this is SUPER IMPORTANT. Great stats from gallop and stonewall on this issue.

Question 7: This is also a question where I'm able to assert my expertise in interpersonal violence. If you have any expertise in anything related to this enquiry PLEASE USE IT!

QUESTION 8: YES Part C: Estimated costs for a GRC is £405 for paperwork + £140 application fee. Trans people are low earners, see national LGBT survey and more likely to be homeless, see stonewall 2018. Legal recognition shouldn't be only for the rich!

Question 8: Ireland has a free process, we love Ireland!

QUESTION 9: I'm saying no but this one is debatable, in general section 22 is alright just some unnecessary consequences around outing/breaches not being dealt with effectively. Ignore this one if you feel lost.

Question 9: Also a great time to put in a please remove the gender recognition register as it's a danger to trans people and actively prevents people applying to GRC because they don't want to be on a list that future governments could misuse.

This thread has been split up somewhere so here is a link to questions 10 and 11:

https://twitter.com/SaeBeverley/status/1051814080669990912

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And a link to questions 12-22:

https://twitter.com/SaeBeverley/status/1051821832750460929