Election: Green Party calls for trans youth to have right to change legal gender without parental consent
The Green Party is calling for trans youth to have the right to legally change gender without parental consent.
In their LGBTIQA+ manifesto for the June 8 general election, launched today, the party has called for the Gender Recognition Act to be updated for under 16s.
The proposal would allow for young people who are trans or non-binary to be able to change their gender in law, without requiring the express support of their parent or guardian.
The manifesto pledges to: “Update the Gender Recognition Act to allow trans youth and non-binary people to get legal recognition through self-declaration.”
Asked how a young person would illustrate their readiness for a new legal gender, the party’s equalities spokesperson Aimee Challenor told PinkNews: “We believe a system of self-declaration should be based on Gillick competence.”
Gillick competence is the idea that a minor can determine their own medical choices, “if and when the child achieves sufficient understanding and intelligence to understand fully what is proposed.”
The party has also called for an X gender to be added to British passports, removing the requirement to choose either male or female for non-binary and intersex people, which they believe should be a protected status in the Equality Act.
Calling for a stronger response to the unfolding abuses of gay men in Chechnya, the party’s spokesperson said: “The current ongoing situation in Chechnya is terrifying, and Greens have already called for action at the highest level.
“If Greens formed a Government, then we would swiftly work with the Russian and Chechen authorities to resolve this matter in a way that protects LGBTIQA+ people, we would also work with our colleagues in the EU, and indeed the UN Human Rights Council, to ensure the action is taken.”
The manifesto comes after a tumultuous first week of the general election for LGBT issues.
Tim Farron was forced to clarify he does not believe gay sex is a sin, after refusing to answer the question for two years, and Theresa May has left a question mark over dumping LGBT rights protections, which reports now indicate she won’t.
The pro-EU party currently has one MP, Caroline Lucas, who represents Brighton Pavillion.
The party has also called for mandatory equality and diversity training for border agents, “so they can sensitively ascertain refugees’ identity and past experiences.”
In other proposals, the environmentalist party has called for PrEP to be provided by NHS England as a matter of urgency, to introduce mandatory LGBT-inclusive sex, relationship and HIV education in schools, and to remove the spousal veto so that trans people can acquire their gender recognition certificate without needing permission from their spouse.
Writing for PinkNews, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said: “These are troubling times for those fighting for LGBTIQA+ equality.
“From Trump’s election across the Atlantic, to Theresa May’s threat to repeal the Human Rights Act – we’re at risk of going backwards after years of progress.
“Here in Britain people continue to suffer violence and discrimination.”
