Current Version
| Region | United Kingdom |
| Issue | Right to change legal gender |
| Status | Legal, but requires medical diagnosis |
| Start Date | Apr 4, 2005 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | Per the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (in effect 2005) in all four constituent countries of the UK. The requirements are as follows: 1. Must be 18 years of age 2. Must have a gender-dysphoria diagnosis 3. Must intend "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death" 4. Has lived in the acquired gender for at least 2 years. 5. If married: must acquire the consent of the spouse. Eligibility is determined by a Gender Recognition Panel and if approved then one is granted a gender recognition certificate and may change the gender marker on legal documents. |
| Sources | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7 https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/UK%20-%20LEG%20-%20Gender%20Recognition%20Act%20(2004)%20-%20OR-OFF%20(en).pdf |
| Federal Law | Yes |
Reports (1)
- Newer law has been passed "On April 16 2025, the supreme court ruled that in the Equality Act 2010, the term 'woman' referred to a biological woman, i.e. one that had been assigned as such at birth. This removes the rights of trans women as women and renders the process of changing gender all but symbolic, this means that trans people have no right to use same sex spaces and the so in practice have no right to change gender. I think the current status should be changed to ambiguous as it doesn't remove the right to change gender, but that means that the GRC (Gender Recognition Certificate) has little to no practical usage.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7x66jvd34o
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg7pqzk47zo
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents"
Revision History (5)
edited by jadeywadey. simplifying a very long description
Helpful?
1 | Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Legal gender recognition is possible in all four constituent countries of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) as per the Gender Recognition Act (2004, in effect 2005). Section 1 of the law states that "any person of either gender" who is aged at least 18 can make an application for "a gender recognition certificate" on the basis of— (a) living in the other gender, or (b) having changed gender under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom. These certificates are issued by a Gender Recognition Panel. The law includes the following requirements for obtaining such certificate: (1) a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis, proved through two reports (one by a registered medical practitioner or psychologist specialised in gender dysphoria, and another one made by a registered medical practitioner); (2) having lived in the “acquired gender” for two years before filing the application, proved through different means (such as a statutory declaration or documents where their gender identity is stated -i.e. pay slips, benefit documentation, bank statements, utility bills); (3) a statutory declaration showing intention "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death"; (4) spousal consent, if the applicant is married or in a civil partnership (partner must consent to the marriage or partnership continuing after the issue of the full gender recognition certificate). | Per the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (in effect 2005) in all four constituent countries of the UK. The requirements are as follows: 1. Must be 18 years of age 2. Must have a gender-dysphoria diagnosis 3. Must intend "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death" 4. Has lived in the acquired gender for at least 2 years. 5. If married: must acquire the consent of the spouse. Eligibility is determined by a Gender Recognition Panel and if approved then one is granted a gender recognition certificate and may change the gender marker on legal documents. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://database.ilga.org/united-kingdom-lgbti http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7 https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/UK%20-%20LEG%20-%20Gender%20Recognition%20Act%20(2004)%20-%20OR-OFF%20(en).pdf | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7 https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/UK%20-%20LEG%20-%20Gender%20Recognition%20Act%20(2004)%20-%20OR-OFF%20(en).pdf |
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edited by Adjsnss . This law was passed by UK parliament applies to all 4 kingdoms of the United Kingdom
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Legal gender recognition is possible in all four constituent countries of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) as per the Gender Recognition Act (2004, in effect 2005). Section 1 of the law states that "any person of either gender" who is aged at least 18 can make an application for "a gender recognition certificate" on the basis of— (a) living in the other gender, or (b) having changed gender under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom. These certificates are issued by a Gender Recognition Panel. The law includes the following requirements for obtaining such certificate: (1) a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis, proved through two reports (one by a registered medical practitioner or psychologist specialised in gender dysphoria, and another one made by a registered medical practitioner); (2) having lived in the “acquired gender” for two years before filing the application, proved through different means (such as a statutory declaration or documents where their gender identity is stated -i.e. pay slips, benefit documentation, bank statements, utility bills); (3) a statutory declaration showing intention "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death"; (4) spousal consent, if the applicant is married or in a civil partnership (partner must consent to the marriage or partnership continuing after the issue of the full gender recognition certificate). | Legal gender recognition is possible in all four constituent countries of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) as per the Gender Recognition Act (2004, in effect 2005). Section 1 of the law states that "any person of either gender" who is aged at least 18 can make an application for "a gender recognition certificate" on the basis of— (a) living in the other gender, or (b) having changed gender under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom. These certificates are issued by a Gender Recognition Panel. The law includes the following requirements for obtaining such certificate: (1) a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis, proved through two reports (one by a registered medical practitioner or psychologist specialised in gender dysphoria, and another one made by a registered medical practitioner); (2) having lived in the “acquired gender” for two years before filing the application, proved through different means (such as a statutory declaration or documents where their gender identity is stated -i.e. pay slips, benefit documentation, bank statements, utility bills); (3) a statutory declaration showing intention "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death"; (4) spousal consent, if the applicant is married or in a civil partnership (partner must consent to the marriage or partnership continuing after the issue of the full gender recognition certificate). |
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| Federal Law | No | Yes |
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, no restrictions | Legal, but requires medical diagnosis |
| Description | Surgery is not required | Legal gender recognition is possible in all four constituent countries of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) as per the Gender Recognition Act (2004, in effect 2005). Section 1 of the law states that "any person of either gender" who is aged at least 18 can make an application for "a gender recognition certificate" on the basis of— (a) living in the other gender, or (b) having changed gender under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom. These certificates are issued by a Gender Recognition Panel. The law includes the following requirements for obtaining such certificate: (1) a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis, proved through two reports (one by a registered medical practitioner or psychologist specialised in gender dysphoria, and another one made by a registered medical practitioner); (2) having lived in the “acquired gender” for two years before filing the application, proved through different means (such as a statutory declaration or documents where their gender identity is stated -i.e. pay slips, benefit documentation, bank statements, utility bills); (3) a statutory declaration showing intention "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death"; (4) spousal consent, if the applicant is married or in a civil partnership (partner must consent to the marriage or partnership continuing after the issue of the full gender recognition certificate). |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7 | https://database.ilga.org/united-kingdom-lgbti http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7 https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/UK%20-%20LEG%20-%20Gender%20Recognition%20Act%20(2004)%20-%20OR-OFF%20(en).pdf |
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| Old Value (Original) | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, but requires surgery | Legal, no restrictions |
| Description | Surgery is not required |
Reports (5)
- Date is incorrect "rubbish impracticsl and impossible im gonna kms btw bye
its actually unrelateda and im not honna kms im just hsving a very very bad time and k was kn yhis website and im far yoo drunk and. yesh. im ok ill be kkay in the morning. please dont track me "
- Status is not correct "Youu aree forced to undergo medical screening andd takes up to 5 years many people cannot gett healthcare as well"
- Other "its complicated they make you justify why you don't want surgery and you are significantly less likely to be able to change your gender marker if you say that you dont want all the surgeries available at least on nhs many people feel forced to lie"
- Other "Legally speaking you don't have to have had surgery. But realistically speaking, as you have to send off a mountain of evidence that you are the gender you say you are. There is no way that the weird panel of cis people you never meet will issue a Gender recognition certificate to anyone that hasn't had surgery."
- Status is not correct "You can say whatever you are, doesn't make it correct. feelings are in consideration when dealing with facts of biology. social constructs aren't real and just an excuse"