CWU says: ‘Gender self-ID is a cornerstone of a fair society’

Equalities October 6 2020

Despite the Government’s decision last month not to move forward on new rights for the UK’s trans community, the CWU is determined to continue to press for progress in this important area of social policy, insists our head of equality, education and development Kate Hudson.

After a two-year Consultation, the Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss disappointed many with her written statement to the House of Commons in which she said that the key demand of trans organisations for their self-identification to be given full legal status would not be enacted.

Ms Truss also claimed that ‘gender recognition reform, though supported in the consultation undertaken by the last government, is not the top priority for transgender people.’

This claim is disputed by the CWU, argues Kate Hudson, who tells CWU News: “The call for self-ID was and remains one of the key issues to progress here – and it was frankly surprising when Liz Truss said it’s not the top priority for trans people.

“Surely the other key areas of concern which she did highlight in her statement – the sheer bureaucratism and expense – are directly caused by the ‘certification’ process itself, and would be resolved by introducing self-ID.

“So, it’s a bit unfair to claim that gender recognition reform is ‘not the top priority’,” Kate explains.

“And even in those areas where she does, correctly, highlight real concerns – such as gender health care, waiting times, and accessibility – her proposals go nowhere near meeting the desire for change or the scale of need and have already been critiqued in Pink News.”

CWU policy on this issue is support for the right of trans and non-binary people to self-define and to be addressed by their chosen pronouns – and for this to have full legal recognition.

And Kate is determined that the CWU will continue to make the case for this reform in the period ahead.

“We strongly believe that reform of the GRA is needed and gender self-ID is one of the cornerstones of the kind of fairer society that we’re all striving for – and we will redouble our efforts to make this argument and win a much wider national consensus for this key progressive change,” she says.

“Within the CWU, as a trade union, we’re particularly emphasising the relevance of this issue to fairness and dignity at work – which is why trans awareness is an integral part of the ‘Fair and Equal’ training course syllabus.

“This union is rightly proud of the work we’ve done fighting for equality. Indeed, we were among those many organisations which fought for the 2004 Equality Act in the first place.

“That Act was a positive step forward for society when it first came in 16 years ago.

“Now, we need to wage and win the argument to move another step forward.”

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