Statement on reforms to the Gender Recognition Act 2004

The government first announced its intention to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) in 2017, opening its consultation on the issue in July 2018.

In response to the consultation the TUC set out that the government should introduce a simplified, free, statutory gender-recognition process based on self-declaration, while maintaining the Equality Act 2010 as it stands. And that the government must support the rights of gender non-binary people at work and in wider society.

It has now been over a year since the government closed its consultation on reforming the GRA, yet no response has been published. During this time trans people have been forced to continue with a lengthy, humiliating and expensive process to change their gender.

The government is shirking its responsibility. It must make good on its promise to change the GRA.