The women and equalities minister has made several comments this week regarding trans foreign nationals and gender-affirming care
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch made headlines this week due to several comments she made about trans people and gender-affirming care. The Tory MP made her stance on trans rights clear earlier this year when she claimed that she would remove gender-neutral toilets.
Trans foreign nationals coming from countries with self-identification should have to provide medical reports in UK
Addressing the House of Commons on 6 December, Badenoch said that trans foreign nationals coming to the UK who wish to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate will have to provide medical reports from their home country. This is due to the fact that many countries now allow for gender self-identification, a system which Badenoch believes is not as “rigorous” as the UK’s.
“It is this government’s policy that the UK does not recognise self-identification for the purpose of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate,” she continued. “However, this government is determined that everyone should be able to live their lives free from unfair discrimination.”
Badenoch stated that the UK’s approved list of countries and territories needed to be updated to account for changes those countries have made in regards to passing laws allowing for trans self-ID.
“It should not be possible for a person who does not satisfy the criteria for UK legal gender recognition to use the overseas routes to do so.”
Right now, a trans person coming from a country on the UK’s approved list which allows gender self-identification does not need to provide medical reports when applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Gender-affirming care is a “form of conversion therapy”
This week Badenoch also spoke about her belief that gender-affirming care is a “form of conversion therapy”. After discussions within the government about banning conversion “therapy” – a practice which aims to change someone’s sexuality or gender – Badenoch said that a ban would also have to address issues within gender-affirming care.
Badenoch cited the case of Keira Bell who medically transitioned at 16 and then later detransitioned. Keira took the Tavistock Gender Identity Clinic (where she received treatment) to court, saying that she was too young to have made an informed decision.
“Girls like Keira Bell who were rushed on to puberty blockers by the NHS, and had a double mastectomy, now regret the irreversible damage done to them,” Badenoch stated. “I believe this is a new form of conversion therapy.”
The Tory MP also said that doctors are “fearful of giving honest clinical advice to a child because if they do not automatically affirm and medicalise a child’s new gender they will be labelled transphobic, so whatever bill we do needs to address many of those issues and that is why we are going to publish a draft bill.”
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