The shadow women and equalities secretary has shared the Labour’s plans to “modernise, simplify and reform” the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) for trans people – effectively confirming that the party has backtracked on previous commitments to self-ID.
Writing in a column for The Guardian, Anneliese Dodds took aim at both Holyrood’s – now blocked –landmark gender law reforms and Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson for “demonising vulnerable LGBT+ people”, referring to his controversial comments that the Tories need to fight the next general election on a “mix of culture wars and trans debate”.
Dodds’ words have come under scrutiny from party members, LGBTQ+ activists and the wider public for Labour’s seemingly ever-changing stance on trans rights, with leader Sir Keir Starmer appearing to side with the Tories on more than one occasion on the issue.
“Changing gender is not a decision anyone makes lightly. The process is intrusive, outdated and humiliating,” Dodds wrote.
“So we will modernise, simplify and reform the gender recognition law to a new process. We will remove invasive bureaucracy and simplify the process.”
The shadow women and equalities secretary added that Labour’s vision of reform would keep the “medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria” as an “important” part of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate – officially confirming the party no longer supports self-ID for trans people.
Dodds said Labour would also remove the panel of “anonymous doctors”...
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