Labour split as UK party rules out trans self-ID despite MSPs supporting it
Labour will not allow self-identification for trans people if it wins the next general election despite the policy being supported by its MSPs.Anneliese Dodds, the shadow equalities secretary, said today the party would keep the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria to obtain a gender recognition certificate as part of its proposed reforms.Scottish Labour previously supported the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) passed by the Scottish Government last year - a key part of which was to allow people to obtain a certificate without the need for a medical diagnosis.The Holyrood bill was subsequently blocked by the UK Government earlier this year, which said it impacted UK-wide equalities law.Aberdeen-born Dodds told The Guardian that Labour would not be introducing self-ID for trans people if it wins power.She said: “The requirement to obtain a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria remains an important part of accessing a gender recognition certificate.
That’s especially the case now that gender dysphoria is no longer classified – and stigmatised – as a psychiatric disorder.”She also accused the Scottish Government of having a “cavalier approach" to gender recognition reform, despite her own party's MSPs supporting the bill.Dodds said the move “seemed to be more about picking a fight with Westminster than bringing about meaningful change”.She added: “The safeguards that were proposed to protect women and girls from predators who might abuse the system were simply not up to scratch.”But former Scottish Labour leader and Central Scotland MSP Richard Leonard said that Scottish Labour's position had not changed.He tweeted on Monday morning: "Scottish Labour's position on this is clear, we support self-ID for trans
