There seems to be little awareness of the current consultation on the Gender Recognition Bill in which the government proposes a surprising change to the present legislation.
What has received very little publicity is a new provision for those who wish to do so to change their gender identification merely by self-certifying. If the legislation becomes law, anyone can change their gender identity without any need to prove that they suffer from gender dysphoria, without undergoing any medical and/or psychological assessments, without any need to prove their commitment or undergo any treatment. In other words, a man can simply declare that he is a woman (and vice versa) and that's that.
While I understand that the proposal is intended to reduce the humiliation of the present law for genuine dysphoria sufferers, the impact of this proposal is something that has not been thought through because, under the provisions, these self certified biological males will have legal access to what have been women-only facilities...so hospital wards, refuges, rape crisis centres, changing rooms and showers.
While I have no wish to discriminate against genuine dysphoria sufferers, their numbers are few - and certainly they are few compared with half the population of this country, the women and girls who will be most affected by these changes.
Ministers are conducting a survey of the LGBT community to inform their conclusions, but what about the half of the population whose views are not being surveyed? Are women and girls to have no say in this mind boggling proposal when their safety and privacy are at risk?
Anyone who speaks against the proposal is subjected to abuse. Indeed, Maria Miller, the MP who is behind this piece of insanity has complained that it's only women who have objected to her proposal. I wonder why. And if you think my concerns are hysterical nonsense, I ask you to imagine that your teenage daughter/granddaughter, when out shopping or going to the gym, will be sharing changing rooms and showering beside full intact males. If they object, they will be subject to prosecution for gender discrimination.
Can reasonable people allow this proposal to become the law of the land?
Good Morning Friday 25th April 2024
Fruit flies - help needed please.
Have any of you got all electric cars? Pros and cons please.