London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

MPs want ‘demedicalization’ of legal gender change

MPs want ‘demedicalization’ of legal gender change

England should dispose of outdated parts of the process for the legal change of gender, including the requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a Parliament committee has said.

A ‘demedicalized’ gender-recognition procedure in England and Wales should switch towards a self-declaration model and get rid of or relax steps meant to show commitment to transitioning, a report by the Women and Equalities Committee recommends.

Its MPs on Tuesday offered a number of recommendations on how the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 should be updated to keep up with modern attitudes towards transgenderism.

Trans people must not be burdened with obtaining a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria to be recognized by the government according to their chosen gender, the Committee said. It cited a number of factors, including the tediousness of the process of obtaining the necessary medical documents, the social stigma associated with the diagnosis, and the fact that the current rules make applicants dependent on a third party for legally changing their gender.

Some of the people called to consult with the committee argued that the medicalized process was unduly restrictive.

“We require someone to feel an anxiety, and to be in persistent and consistent distress, to be able to change their legal gender,” Nancy Kelley from pro-trans rights lobby group Stonewall was quoted as saying. “Not everybody experiences dysphoria in a way that satisfies the diagnosis criteria.”

The MPs also suggested abolishing the requirement for a person to submit evidence of their having lived under their acquired gender for at least two years before applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate.

“There is no clear, accepted or agreed definition of what living like a man or a woman is,” the panel said. “The requirement also risks entrenching outdated and unacceptable gender stereotypes.”

The report recommended changing the wording of the statutory declaration that applicants have to make to legally change their gender, stating their intention to live permanently–and until their death– in their acquired gender.

Making a false declaration is a punishable offense, and including such a penalty in the process was meant as a safeguard against frivolous applications. MPs said the “until death” part should be dropped in acknowledgement that some people “might regret their decision to legally transition” and would want to reverse it.

The Committee recognized concerns that relaxed rules could make the gender-recognition process more exposed to abuse by malicious actors and said that “robust guidance on how a system of self-declaration would work in practice should also be developed.”

"For example, male prisoners with a record of sexual assault or domestic violence, who self-identify as a woman, should not be transferred to a women’s prison."


The MPs distanced themselves from the controversial issue of access of trans women athletes to women’s sports. They said that it was “absolutely essential that the integrity of women’s sport is maintained and not compromised” and called on relevant organizations to develop “clear, evidence-based guidance with practical examples for how to facilitate trans and gender non-conforming inclusive spaces in sports.”

Other recommendations include reserving the gender-recognition process for adults only, removing the requirement for spousal consent for married transitioning individuals, and possibly transferring the authority from the special Gender Recognition Panel to the Registrar General, similar to how it already works in Scotland.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×