I posted the following reply. Looking back on it, I probably should of said something about the plight of those children with non-binary identities, but (amazingly) the original article actually managed to refer to that.
ID card proposals pose serious risk to trans people
It’s now too late to respond to the consultation, but please sign the petition (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/TransID
) and tell everyone you know about this!
| Gender Spectrum have worked extensively on ID Cards and their potential effects upon trans people throughout all stages of transition and our subsequent lives. I would ask readers to consider supporting them in their efforts to ensure fair treatment for all trans people.
Best wishes, Angela Clayton ——– Original Message ——– ***** Press Release from Gender Spectrum UK ***** Gender Spectrum UK ( http://www.gsuk.org The petition is asking the Government to address the current issues surrounding the draft guidelines for the National ID Card. These guidelines require people to have their gender (determined as either Male or Female as reflected by their Birth Certificate) announced on the ID Card. If a person wishes to present in a manner that is not the same as their Birth Certificate they will have to undergo a process to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) or hold 2 ID cards. This means that unless a GRC is obtained, the person will need to have two ID cards. Both will be in the person’s legal name, but one will identify the person as male, the other as female. The one in the birth gender will be valid for travel throughout Europe, the other will not. Once a full GRC has been issued, a single ID card will be issued in the acquired gender. Each of these individual cards must be paid for in full. The initial proposed fee of £30 will only remain until 2012. Anyone who wishes to obtain a Passport must also obtain an ID card under the proposals. The guidelines also state that the database will also keep details of your birth gender, even after a GRC has been issued. We believe that there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. We believe that a person carrying two ID cards, each bearing details that conflict with the other, will be become vulnerable and at risk from harm from foreign security services or members of the public, particularly in volatile countries and/or situations. We believe that this puts many people’s lives at risk. We also believe that this puts many people who do not have a GRC in a vulnerable position. For this reason we have taken two specific actions and would appreciate your support by taking action. We have drafted a letter that you are welcome to download and send to Robin Woodland at the Home Office. You may use it in its entirety or as a template to compose your own letter We have started an on-line petition which we would love you to sign The document is available for download from: The on-line petition is available at: Due to the closing date of the consultation period drawing near 13th February 2009), we have chosen to limit the petition to just one month. It is therefore important that anyone interested in supporting this The following is the text of the petition: The draft guidelines for the National ID Card as they currently stand, with regards to transsexual people and others who choose to present in the gender opposite to that of their birth assignment them to: a Apply and pay for up to four different ID cards b Have two separate ID cards before a GRC can be obtained The Database will keep a record of the birth gender, contrary to Government agreement when the GRA(2004) was passed into law. This is despite the fact that many people cannot obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) and that it is illegal to disclose whether a person is in possession of a GRC without explicit permission. 4 groups of people fall into a dangerous areas: 1 A transsexual person who has obtained a GRC 2 A transsexual person who lives full time in their acquired gender but have not yet applied for a GRC either: 3 A person who lives part time in each gender 4 A person who lives outside the gender binary —————————————————– Gender Spectrum UK FORWARDING: Whilst we welcome posts being forwarded to third parties, we do ask that you forward this message in its entirety, complete with its attribution and this footer. |
I also oppose the introduction of ID cards broadly on grounds of preserving civil liberties, but this is a battle that needs fighting on several fronts. If the government blindly goes ahead with introducing them anyway, we need to limit the damage they do to vunerable individuals.
It begins
Dear internet,
I’m coming for your children.
Regards.
Dr Ruth Pearce 
Thank-you Phil Beadle for drawing attention to this issue.
I am a young trans person, and one of the lucky ones: I got good grades in school and recently graduated from university. My exams results were seriously beginning to slip by the time I did my AS levels due to trans anxiety. I only managed to rescue my A levels by changing to another sixth form, where I was less likely to be judged for being weird and wasn’t forced to conform to a male dress code.
The experiences of teenagers in Trans Youth Network (www.transyouth.org) demonstrates that others are having a far, far worse time than I ever did. Anxiety, depression, self-harm and anger are rife amongst young trans people. Their problems are ignored, dismissed or misunderstood.
The government avoids addressing these issues by pretending that only those trans people in the (frustratingly slow and inefficient) medical system “count”. The 2007 consultation document for the Single Equality Bill justifies the statement “that it is unnecessary to include school pupils and education in schools in any extension to protection on grounds of gender reassignment” on the grounds that “it will be very rare for a child to be planning to undergo or undergoing the process of gender reassignment as defined in the Sex Discrimination Act.” This is not particularly surprising given that it can be difficult for school children to find a free and confidential counselling service, and the NHS does not offer proper treatment for those who wish to transition until they are over the age of 18.
Moroever, the problem is not just one of bullying or of access to services, but is also one of compulsory gendering. Young trans men feel afraid to confront schools over uniform policies when they are forced to wear skirts, and young trans women at all-boys schools experience alienation and loneliness. This is a far more difficult issue to deal with, since putting little girls and little boys in dresses and trousers when we send them to primary school is such an ingrained part of our culture. I wonder if the government is so afraid to confront the discrimination that young trans people face on a daily basis because doing so will open a Pandora’s box whereby the sexism, homophobia and transphobia innate in our schooling system becomes horribly apparent.