Media Releases
Nancy Kelley, Stonewall, Chief Executive said: ‘Today, the UK Government has fallen far short on its promise to reform the Gender Recognition Act, and has missed a key opportunity to progress LGBT equality.
‘It’s a shocking failure in leadership that after three years and a robust public consultation, the UK Government has put forward only minimal administrative changes to improve the process for legal gender recognition of trans people in England and Wales. While these moves will make the current process less costly and bureaucratic, they don’t go anywhere near far enough toward meaningfully reforming the Act to make it easier for all trans people to go about their daily life.
‘All trans people, including non-binary people, deserve to be respected for who they are. Reforming the Act could have brought England and Wales in line with our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland, who have had a de-medicalised, self-determination system for gender recognition since 2015 without any problematic repercussions. The Government’s own response states that a strong majority of people who responded to the consultation supported these reforms. And just last week the British Medical Association called on the Government to allow trans people to be recognised for who they are without a medical diagnosis. So, we share the frustration and disappointment of trans people and allies who have campaigned and fought hard for GRA reform over the last few years.
‘Stonewall stands with, and sends our solidarity to, trans communities across the UK, whose lives and identities have been made the subject of a relentless ‘debate’ ever since the Government announced its plans to reform the Act through a public consultation. In the three years since, waiting times for Gender Identity Services have grown longer than ever, recorded anti-trans hate crimes have trebled, and anti-trans bullying remains endemic in our schools. The UK’s stalled progress on trans equality is now one of the main reasons we continue to fall behind other European countries on LGBT equality in ILGA-Europe’s annual ranking.
‘It is vital the UK Government tackles these issues head-on, and so the opening of at least three new Gender Identity Clinics this year is an important step towards reducing these waiting lists.
‘Thank you to the thousands upon thousands of trans people and allies who took to the streets, wrote and called MPs, and shared your support online in hope of more progressive change. Stonewall will continue to call for acceptance without exception, and we won’t stop until every trans person, everywhere, is free to be themselves.’
Kirrin Medcalf, Head of Trans Inclusion, Stonewall said: ‘Many trans young people and their families face significant barriers when trying to access high-quality, timely care, including extremely long waiting times and obstacles to referral.
'We welcome this review and believe it’s critical that the voices of trans and gender non-conforming children are at the centre of this review. We hope that through robust research this review will lead to better experiences and health outcomes for all children and young people, including those who are trans.’
Nancy Kelley, Chief Executive, Stonewall said: ‘We’re proud to stand in solidarity with our Deputy Chair Simon Blake in his case against Laurence Fox. At Stonewall we believe that it’s important for white people to challenge racism when we see it, and be staunch allies to people of colour.
Calling gay men ‘paedophiles’ is a homophobic slur that has a long, dark history of being used to paint us as threats to children and stop us from being treated as equal citizens. Using it to silence a gay man standing up for racial justice just demonstrates how far we have to go before we can say that we live in a society where we are all valued, and can live our lives in safety and dignity.'
Nancy Kelley, Chief Executive, Stonewall, said: 'We are deeply disappointed by World Rugby’s decision to move ahead with their proposal to stop most trans women from playing in competitions they govern.
'The proposals were based on hypothetical data modelling that has little relevance to the questions of fairness and safety in rugby that the policy review sought to address. Important policies like this should be based on robust, relevant evidence and work closely with trans people playing in the sport.
'Individual rugby unions across the world determine their own policies on trans inclusion at a domestic level, and in recent weeks the Canadian, US and Australian Rugby Unions have come out strongly in support of trans inclusion.
'These rugby authorities understand that inclusion should be at the heart of the sport they love, and inclusion is vital to sustain rugby. Younger generations want to take part in sports where everyone is welcome. They have a choice.
'While the World Rugby guidelines affect much international competition, it’s vital that rugby unions across the world follow the lead of Australia, Canada and the US and ensure that all trans people in the rugby community are supported and welcome taking part in the game they love.
'There is still a lot to learn about the impact of transition on athletic ability, but this does not mean that trans people are not already playing rugby or any other sport safely and fairly. As the world continues to evolve, it is vital that policies expand rather than restrict any sport’s potential to grow and benefit all our communities.
'We stand in solidarity with trans people across the world who'll be disappointed by this news. We will do everything we can to make sport everyone's game.'
Today, the UK Parliament’s Women and Equalities Select Committee have launched a public inquiry into the UK Government’s recent proposals to update the legal gender recognition process for trans people.
Inquiries like this give MPs the opportunity to scrutinise the Government’s work on a particular issue, and recommend what needs to be improved.
Stonewall, along with many other human rights organisations, trans communities and allies, was extremely disappointed by the Government’s recent pledge to only put forward minimal administrative changes to improve this process in England and Wales.
It’s important that we all tell the committee why the Government need to go further to meaningfully reform the Gender Recognition Act, and deliver wider changes to ensure all trans people are free to be themselves.
The Government’s own response to their 2018 public consultation showed that a strong majority of people supported positive reform. Trans people deserve to be respected for who they are.
At the same time, after years of delay after delay, many trans people feel exhausted and frustrated.
The ongoing public attention and scrutiny of trans people’s lives and identities is taking a huge toll on trans communities.
It’s vital this inquiry does not whip up more hate and misinformation in its wake. It’s also essential the UK Government continues to stand firm on their pledge to not roll back the rights of trans people.
‘n the coming days, we will share more information on how communities, individuals and allies can take part in this inquiry, which closes on 27 November.
But in the meantime, we send our love and solidarity to trans communities across the UK, and encourage allies to check in and support their trans siblings.
We will continue to work side by side with you to bring about equality for each and every trans person.’
For any trans people seeking support, you can contact a trans organisation near you (find your local organisation), or call the MindLine Trans helpline.
Maria Munir, Associate Director of Community Engagement, Stonewall said: ‘The language we use matters, which is why it’s a shame Greg Clarke used such a harmful phrase like ‘life choice’ to describe being gay. It was also deeply upsetting to hear the archaic words and stereotypes he used to describe Black and Asian people, along with sexist stereotypes about players from the women's game.
‘We hope Greg Clarke and the FA will swiftly apologise for his comments – like they did for the words he used to refer to Black and Asian players today.
‘This highlights how much more there is to do before football is everyone's game. Words have impact; they influence the way that people are treated on a personal level, as well as the institutional opportunities that are available to sportspeople. We’d encourage Greg Clarke to listen to and learn from all marginalised people, so we can work towards a world where everyone is accepted without exception.’
Almost 1 million pairs of Rainbow Laces distributed by LGBT charity
Stonewall releases new identity Rainbow Laces celebrating lesbian, bi, pan, ace, trans and non-binary people to promote this year’s campaign
Campaign highlights importance of sport for the LGBT+ community
Stonewall, the UK’s leading lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity, is re-launching its award-winning Rainbow Laces campaign in partnership with TeamPride, for the fifth year.
Since the campaign’s conception, the charity has sent out close to one million pairs of their Rainbow Laces and are now expanding on their range of laces. The campaign aims to make sport everyone’s game, and brings sport communities together to champion inclusion for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in sport.
Athletes, fans, clubs, grassroots community groups, schools, business and individuals across the UK and further afield have been lacing up for years to show their support for LGBT+ people in sport. Now as well as the original rainbow design, they will be able to lace up to celebrate specific identities under the LGBT+ umbrella, including the lesbian, bi, pan, ace, trans and non-binary flags.
It will kick off on Thursday 26th November and run through to 13th December 2020, with activities planned across sport and online.
Over its five-year run, the campaign has been changing attitudes across sport. Last year, polling from the charity found that the vast majority of British people (65 per cent) think it’s important that anti-LGBT language and abuse is challenged in live sporting events. But despite this, four in ten LGBT+ people (43 per cent) think public sporting events aren’t welcoming for them.
This year has seen LGBT+ communities particularly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and for many people sport has become more important than ever. But 2020 hasn’t only highlighted inequalities for LGBT+ people, with events across the globe showing the impact of structural racism across society, including within the LGBT+ community, and throughout sport.
Because of this, this re-launch of the Rainbow Laces campaign will shine a light on the importance of allyship and community.
The campaign would usually see fans and athletes alike lacing up and putting on huge, visible displays of support on the field and in the stadium. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s activity is set to look slightly different, sharing stories of how sport has helped many LGBT+ people find a safe and supportive community and get through the year.
But with athletes and clubs still raring to show their support, all sorts of digital and sporting activity will be lined up through the month including from the Premier League, EFL, SPFL, FA and Barclays FA Women’s Super, RFU Women’s Premier 15s, Great British Racing, Premiership Rugby, England Golf, Wales Lacrosse and Scottish Athletics as well as support from the charity’s Stonewall Sport Champions.
Maria Munir, Associate Director of Community Engagement at Stonewall (pronouns: they/them) said: ‘It’s fantastic that we’ve sent out close to one million laces across the UK and beyond. It shows what a phenomenal symbol lacing up has become for LGBT+ people.
‘We also know that the campaign and all of the hard work being done by clubs, teams and managers across the country is making a real difference. Our research found that two thirds (66 per cent) of fans feel more confident that reports of anti-LGBT+ language at live sport fixtures will be taken seriously after seeing the Rainbow Laces campaign. We’ve seen a steady growth in the proportion of fans who would report anti-LGBT abuse online or in stadiums too.
‘During a year which has exacerbated challenges for LGBT+ communities, sport has become even more important to keep up spirits and provide a vital support system so we can continue to be there for one another. That’s why we’re so pleased to be running Rainbow Laces this year, with a real focus on the importance of community and allyship, including in support of LGBT+ people of colour, disabled people, and trans people.
‘While the campaign is sure to look a bit different this year, we’re encouraging everyone to lace up with us. From workouts in your flat, to weekly quizzes with your lacrosse team, we're showing up for ourselves and one another. Now is the time for every club, team, and individual, from elite to grassroots and community sport, to show their support for all LGBT+ people and work towards truly making sport everyone’s game.’
The Rainbow Laces campaign is made possible by TeamPride, a consortium of world-leading brands committed to making sport everyone’s game. TeamPride members are adidas, Aon, Barclays, Coca-Cola, Premier League and Sky Sports.
Nancy Kelley, Stonewall, Chief Executive (she/her) said: ‘Today’s Court ruling about the prescription of puberty blockers is both deeply concerning and shocking. We’re worried this judgment will have a significant chilling effect on young trans people’s ability to access timely medical support. We welcome the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust’s stated intention to appeal this ruling.
‘Although it is unclear, the judgment implies that trans under 18-year-olds should obtain permission from a court before being prescribed hormone blockers by the NHS. The judgment states that it’s ‘highly unlikely’ a child under 13 could ever give valid consent to treatment, and that it’s ‘very doubtful’ a 14- or 15-year-old is capable of giving valid consent. It also suggests that in some cases 16- and 17-year-olds might not be capable of consent and should seek a court order. The average onset of puberty in the UK is currently 11 for girls and 12 for boys.
‘For decades, hormone blockers have been used to pause puberty for children experiencing precocious puberty. They also play a vital role in helping to alleviate the distress many trans young people experience and offer much-needed time to questioning young people to explore their identity. Denying this vital support is not a neutral act and can be deeply harmful to trans young people.
‘While puberty blockers are a reversible intervention, the judgment says that in order for a young person to give informed consent, they must also understand the potential implications of a range of other potential future treatments, including cross-sex hormones and surgical intervention. These are treatments only available to those aged 16 or over, and those aged 18 or over, respectively. We believe this is an extraordinary extension of the principle of informed consent.
‘If this judgment is upheld on appeal, this ruling is likely to significantly extend the wait trans young people already face when seeking specialist support – and risks adding enormous strain to our already overstretched courts and mental health services.
‘Today’s ruling sets a dangerous precedent not just for the rights of trans young people, but for all young people. Not only do we disagree that trans young people cannot understand the implications of treatment, but we’re worried this judgment risks eroding Gillick competency more broadly. Gillick established that people under the age of 16 can be capable of sufficiently understanding and consenting to medical treatments, like abortion or contraception, including understanding their long-term physical and psychological consequences. The lawyers representing the claimants said they want to push Gillick to ‘breaking point’. This judgment gives a green light to those who want to use this as an opportunity to roll back not just the healthcare rights of trans young people, but the rights of all young people.
‘This news is going to be incredibly tough to hear for trans young people and their families, whether or not they are directly affected by it. Many trans young people and their families are being left with unanswered questions about what will happen to the support they need. NHS England must urgently give clarity to trans young people and their families about how they can continue to access care. We will continue to fight for trans young people to get the support they need, until every LGBT person is free to be themselves.
If you are struggling with this development, please consider getting support from:
Trans Youth & LGBT organisations:
- Gendered Intelligence: youthwork@genderedintelligence.co.uk / 07511614834 (website)
- Mermaids Youth helpline: 0808 801 0400 (website)
- LGBT Foundation email: helpline@lgbt.foundation (website)
- Proud Trust: 0161 660 3347 / info@theproudtrust.org (website)
- AllSorts: 01273 7212211 (website)
Helplines:
- MindLine Trans+: 0300 330 5468 (website)
- Switchboard LGBT+ helpline: 0300 330 0630 (website)
- LGBT Foundation helpline: 0345 3 30 30 30
- Childline: 0800 1111 (website)
If you’re feeling suicidal or are in a crisis:
- Hopeline: CALL 0800 068 41 41 / TEXT 07860 039967 / EMAIL pat@papyrus-uk.org
- Give us a shout: TEXT 85258
Nancy Kelley (she/her), Chief Executive, Stonewall said: ‘We want to see a blood donation system that allows the greatest number of people to donate safely. This change will help ensure more gay and bi men can donate blood, and represents an important first step towards a donation selection policy entirely based on an individualised assessment of risk. We will continue to work with Government to build on this progress and ensure that more people, including LGBT+ people, can donate blood safely in the future.
‘While we welcome today’s news, we know much more still needs to be done to tackle the challenges that lead to gay and bi men, along with other groups of people including Black African communities, sex workers, and trans communities, being at higher risk of acquiring HIV and other STIs. The recommendations of the HIV Commission set out a clear roadmap for achieving the UK Government’s commitment to ending new HIV infections by 2030, and we will continue to work with the Government and other charities to make this a reality.’
Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall (she/her) said: ‘Many people in the UK today, including LGBT+ people, still face huge inequalities and the Women’s and Equalities Minister must remain committed to tackling them.
‘To do this, it is important to understand that there are many different things that can hold us back. LGBT+ people are part of every community and in every location. We can’t separate experiences of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, and racism from socio-economic status and geographic location. To tackle one, we need to tackle the others, which is why progress must include all LGBT+ people, including LGBT+ people who live in poverty, in parts of the country where there are few jobs, and who go to schools where they aren’t supported to reach their potential, and it must include LGBT+ people of colour, women and those of us with disabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this connection even more clear, with people of colour being disproportionately impacted by this crisis, due to racial discrimination as well being more likely to live in poverty.
‘While attitudes have been slowly changing, lesbian, gay, bi and trans people still face discrimination throughout our lives, and it holds us back from unlocking our potential. The GEO's National LGBT Survey found that at school, college or university, 21 per cent of LGBT+ people were outed without their permission, and 19 per cent experienced verbal harassment. Lesbian, gay, bi and trans people also have much higher rates of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, with research finding that LGB adults were twice as likely to have attempted suicide in their lifetime than straight people, and that this increases further for trans people specifically.
‘LGBT+ people face discrimination in work, both in getting a job and once they have found employment, with the National LGBT Survey finding only 63 per cent of trans people were employed in the 12 months prior to the survey. Hate crime has also been steadily rising against LGBT+ people across the country, with the number of reported homophobic and biphobic hate crimes almost trebling in the last five years, and a 25 per cent increase in the reports of transphobic hate crimes in the last year alone.
‘As these figures grow, and as more column inches are dedicated to criticising ‘wokeness’, it certainly doesn’t feel like being LGBT+ is ‘fashionable’, nor is it fashionable to want to remove the obstacles that hold our communities back.
‘Data has continually shown that the more discrimination you face because of who you are, the more inequality you will experience – including financial stability, employment, mental wellbeing and physical health, as well as access to opportunities. While we welcome the Equality Data Programme and the continuation of the Equality Hub, it is vital that the Government provides reassurance that dedicated programmes of work, such as gender pay gap reporting and the LGBT Action Plan, which remain vital in tackling the inequalities highlighted today, will continue to be prioritised and developed.’