26th July 2000

Transsexuals could win full legal recognition

Transsexuals may be granted full legal recognition as members of the opposite sex under new proposals issued by a Home Office working group.

Currently people who have undergone gender realignment can be issued with new passports and driving licences but not birth certificates.  They are also unable to marry as their new identity is not fully recognised in law.

An interdepartmental working group, set up by the Home Secretary in April 1999 to address the problems experienced by transsexuals, has published its report which proposes three options for the government to consider.

Estimates of the number of transsexuals in the UK ranges from 2,000 to 5,000, with five times more men choosing to change sex than women.

Transsexuals can currently be issued with passports, driving licences, medical cards and National Insurance numbers under their new gender.

The report suggests that sterilisation should be considered as a requirement if full legal recognition was to be granted.

Transsexuals would keep all parental rights but may be required to dissolve a pre-existing marriage because it would effectively be a same-sex marriage.

The report also suggests that it might be necessary to disclose a transsexual’s former identity in certain circumstances, for example to allow criminal record checks to be made.

Last updated: 19:10 Wednesday 26th July 2000.

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