Displaying items by tag: Gender Change

A Christian man is calling for more caution from medical and mental health services after undergoing irreversible gender reassignment surgery. His story represents a stark warning to parents, government, and medical and educational services, at a time when figures released by the NHS reveal a 2,500% increase in referrals to gender identity clinics over the past decade. After an appointment with a psychiatrist, despite having suicidal thoughts and mental health issues on his medical records, he was automatically put on a waiting list for gender identity clinic with ‘no underlying medical conditions’. The NHS paid for the operation, which he now deeply regrets, saying, ‘When I see and hear of books such as “10,000 Dresses” being read to schoolchildren, I see the same influence that led me to this harmful addiction. More must be done to protect our children, not to encourage them to pursue the same destructive path that I did.’

Following a meeting with the Prime Minister, the former education secretary, Justine Greening, left the Government, to be succeeded by Damian Hinds. The women and equalities portfolio will be held by Amber Rudd. These changes will give the Government the opportunity to review many of Ms Greening’s more extreme proposals before they begin to impact upon families: for example, using compulsory relationships education to teach children as young as five about same-sex marriage, and allowing anybody, whatever age, to choose their gender. It is not too late to halt either of these policies, nor is it too late for the Government to note the views of the 59% of party members who oppose same-sex marriage (according to a new YouGov poll).

The Government is planning to reform gender identity rules to make it easier for people to choose their own gender in law. Under plans being considered by ministers, adults will be able to change their birth certificates at will without a doctor’s diagnosis, while non-binary gender people will be able to record their gender as ‘X’. Changes to the law will be consulted on and will ultimately be included in a planned Gender Recognition Bill, set to be published in the autumn. Under current laws, established in 2004, a person who wishes to transition must apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. This requires a doctor's diagnosis of gender dysphoria and the person must spend two years of living as a member of the opposite gender.