A record number of individuals applied to legally change their gender last year, as the UK government weighs options to fulfil an election promise aimed at streamlining the process, as reported by The Times.
Official data indicates that the Gender Recognition Panel, composed of doctors and lawyers who authorise such changes, received 1,397 applications in the fiscal year 2023-24. Of these, 1,088 were approved.
The number of applications has surged since 2020-21 when there were only 466 bids, driven in part by a significant drop in the application fee from £140 to £5. Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, have accounted for the majority of applications. This upward trend is expected to continue following Labour’s commitment during the election to further simplify the procedure.
However, it is understood that new legislation on gender recognition reforms will not be introduced in the first parliamentary session. Labour has pledged to replace the Gender Recognition Panel with a registrar-led model, although details of how this system will function remain unclear. By the end of March 2024, the panel had its largest caseload ever, with 888 open applications.
The sharp rise in applications raises questions about the capacity of registrars, who are expected to take on the task of approving gender changes under Labour’s proposed reforms. Currently, the approval rate stands at 89.3%. The data also revealed a shift, with the number of females transitioning to male nearly equal to the number of male-to-female transitions for the first time.
Labour has previously described the existing gender recognition process as “dehumanising,” requiring individuals to live in their acquired gender for two years and provide two doctors’ reports before the panel can approve their application. Under the government’s proposed changes, only one doctor’s report, from a gender specialist, would be required, and proof of living in the acquired gender would no longer be needed. A two-year cooling-off period would also be introduced.
In Scotland, plans to have the registrar general issue gender recognition certificates were abandoned, but the debate continues in Westminster.
The Liberal Democrats are facing internal opposition to Layla Moran’s potential candidacy to chair the Commons health and social care committee. The party’s gender-critical faction, Liberal Voice for Women, expressed concern about Moran’s pro-transgender stance, particularly her position on single-sex spaces and her criticism of former Women and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch. They also called on the party to update its 2015 policy on transgender healthcare, which supported puberty blockers for children with gender distress.
Caring about Dignity, a group advocating for same-sex care in the NHS, echoed concerns about Moran’s views on the Equality Act. They urged constituents to reach out to Moran, hoping to influence her perspective on safeguarding women and girls in health and social care settings.
A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats confirmed that nominations for select committee chairs are yet to be finalised and emphasised the party’s focus on broader health priorities, including improving cancer care and increasing the number of GPs.
