17 June 2020

In 2018, Liberal Judaism urged its members to participate in the consultation for reforms of the Gender Recognition Act to ensure vital new rights for trans (including non-binary) and intersex people. This would including simplifying the process of changing one’s legal gender and extending that right to non-binary people.

We are dismayed to learn that the government is considering dropping the proposed changes, despite the fact that around 70% of the over 100,000 respondents favoured them. This result is in line with attitudes displayed in the British Social Attitudes Survey. For further discussion see the Stonewall article here.

Liberal Judaism is also concerned that existing rights of those who are transgender may be eroded by changes to the Equality Act 2010, potentially putting them in danger and forcing them into spaces where they could be subjected to harassment or assault.

For those who wish to protest, there are various actions you can take:

Email Prime Minister Boris Johnson – https://email.number10.gov.uk

Contact your MP – https://members.parliament.uk/members/Commons

Sign and share this petition – http://chng.it/gLdBMBh6YZ

• Statement written on behalf of Liberal Judaism by Rabbi Janet Darley